Change in Perspective
by RosieGamgee
Summary: ***CHAPTER 11 UP! THE FINAL BATTLE!!***Harry's life has changed. As he heads towards the final battle with Voldemort, a certain female Weasley stumbles upon the new Harry.
1. Up and Out

Title: A Change in Perspective  
  
Author: RosieGamgee (a.k.a. Sarah)  
  
Summary: A new and different Harry, out of Hogwarts with a new outlook on life, takes on the world. But Voldemort's back and ready to finally take what he believes is rightfully his. Can Harry stop him once and for all while balancing his love life? Hell! Will Harry ever HAVE a love life?  
  
I've decided to post this again under my new name. If you've been following this story already, you can skip ahead. No changes have been made. If you haven't been following it, PLEASE READ IT!  
  
Reviews are GREATLY appreciated. Sack it if you want! I can only get better with help.  
  
Disclaimer: Have you ever thought about what it would feel like to actually lose IQ points? Well tonight, I lost 10 points as I watched 50 midgets race an elephant, both pulling a DC-10 airplane. Only in America (and on FOX)! So anyway, my point is, with my lost IQ from tonight's HORRID television line up, I could never come up with any thing that would remotely resemble the great work that JKR does. I own nothing of this at all, except for the idea/plot-like thing.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter One: Up and Out  
  
A resounding crash filled the burrow.  
  
"SHIT!"  
  
Ginny sat straight up quickly. "What the fuck?" She jumped from her bed and flung the door open. A disheveled Harry Potter lay at the bottom of the stairs, face against the bottom stair. "Harry?"  
  
He lifted his head slightly to look at who was talking to him. "Hey Ginny."  
  
Ginny blushed furiously. "You ok?"  
  
"Better now that I'm here and away from that pitiful excuse for my family. Isn't that my shirt?"  
  
Ginny blushed even more. "Perhaps." Ginny looked down at the black dress shirt she was wearing, sleeves rolled up. And halfway buttoned. And cutting off above her mid thigh. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I left the Dursley's. To hell with them and their beefy son." Harry pushed himself up off the floor effortlessly. He looked Ginny up and down. "I have to admit, you look better in that shirt than I do."  
  
"Harry! What are you doing here? I heard a crash and I came to make sure the ghoul didn't decide to come downstairs again. Who would have expected it was you? Let me get you some tea dear."  
  
"Mrs. Weasley, I'm fine. I really just need to get to sleep."  
  
"Of course dear, of course. Let's get you settled in Ron's room. You can tell me why you're here tomorrow."  
  
"OK. Thanks a million." Harry started after Mrs. Weasley, and stopped in front of Ginny. "Night Gin."  
  
"Goodnight Harry. Sleep well."  
  
*******  
  
Ron rolled over in his bed, prying his eyes apart as the sun poured into his tiny room.  
  
"You snore louder than anyone else in the world Ron."  
  
"Shut it Harry," Ron responded. "HARRY!? All sorts of stuff seems to happen while I'm sleeping. Did we get drunk last night and I don't remember any of it?" Ron rubbed his eyes.  
  
Harry laughed and shook his head. "Say, Ron, how does Ginny have one of my dress shirts?"  
  
"You probably left it here or something. Probably keeps it locked in a drawer when she's not wearing it so mom can't wash it." Ron snickered. "Why are you here, Harry?"  
  
"I had a frank exchange of ideas with my uncle and I left."  
  
"A 'frank exchange of ideas'? Is that what they're calling it now?" Ginny walked into the room.  
  
"Ever hear of knocking, jerkface?" Ron snapped.  
  
"Yes, but I came to tell you it was time for breakfast."  
  
"Good morning Gin. How're you?"  
  
"Morning Harry. I'm alright. And yourself?"  
  
"Splendid. I was just asking Ron how you came into possession of one of my dress shirts." Harry threw her a grin.  
  
"Well, it was in with Ron's wash after school, and I was doing the laundry and I found it. And, I liked it, so I took it. You can have it back if you want."  
  
"Nah, it's ok. I meant what I said last night." Harry threw her another grin and headed out the door. Ginny stood and watched Harry walk out, blushing.  
  
"What did he say last night?"  
  
"Hm? Oh nothing Ron. Let's go eat." Ginny turned around on her heels and headed for the kitchen.  
  
****  
  
Harry watched Ginny walk down the stairs, her hair bouncing behind her. It was too much fun to tease her, though he had meant it when he said the shirt looked better on her. The eighteen-year-old Ginny has grown into herself in the years since school had ended. He saw her all the time though, as he was at Ron's often. They had become close friends, both easing in each other's presence. Harry had let himself open up to her, and Ginny had in turn loosened up around Harry, and let him get a tiny glimpse of her life.  
  
"So you had a frank exchange of ideas with your uncle?"  
  
"He wasn't too fond of the house next door blowing up. He thought I did it of course, and wouldn't listen to me when I told him that it was the homicidal maniac that's after me." Harry stuffed some eggs into his mouth as the rest of the Weasleys stared at him.  
  
"And you see no problem with the house next door blowing up?"  
  
"Obviously I have a problem with it, and I was going to go do something about it before that great asshole, sorry Mrs. Weasley, came charging after me. By the time I got outside, the Aurors were already there, and no one had seen a thing. Telling the muggles it was a gas explosion or something to that effect. Absolute dragon shit, sorry again Mrs. Weasley, if you ask me."  
  
"So your uncle thought you blew the house up?" Ginny asked. "Do they know nothing about you?!"  
  
"Quite obviously not. I guess they think I'm some sort of dangerous magical criminal or something. Pass the bacon?"  
  
Ron handed the plate over to his best mate.  
  
"Thanks. So anyway, that's the situation I'm in now. I no longer have the Dursley's to go back to, not that I'm sad about that, but Voldemort knows where I am. Or rather where I was, and I don't think it'll take him too long to figure out where I went, which means I HAVE to leave as soon as humanly possible from here. I need to find Sirius and Remus and I need to find them quick.  
  
"So anyway, to make a long story even longer, Dumbledore told me to lay low here for a while, after he set up some wards and such, and told me to tell you he'd be by sometime this morning to work things out."  
  
A loud crash came from the fireplace next to the table.  
  
"Harry! Thank God you're ok! I heard on the Wireless about that house and I went as quick as I could over there, but you were already gone. Hedwig showed up this morning at my window and made it quite clear you were here. Hannah almost had a cow when I went running out with no breakfast. Nearly bit my head off."  
  
"'Mione, I'm fine." Harry stood up and took his best friend into his arms.  
  
"I hate you, you know that. Always going around, getting yourself in trouble, almost getting blown up."  
  
"I don't look for trouble, Hermione. It just finds me." Harry threw her a grin as he steered her towards the table.  
  
"Have something to eat Hermione dear. I know you should be getting to class soon, but you can't learn on an empty stomach." Mrs. Weasley piled food onto her plate as she took her usual spot next to Ron.  
  
"Nice of you to finally notice me." Ron gave her a disgusted look.  
  
"Ron, I was just a little scared about Harry. But how could I ever forget about my charming boyfriend? And don't make that face at me. It'll freeze that way," Hermione chided as she gave Ron a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"Gag me with a spoon." Harry pretended to retch under the table. Ginny giggled as Harry threw her a knowing smile.  
  
"Oh really, Harry. I just kissed him on the cheek."  
  
"Retching about the charming part, Hermione dear. That lunkhead has less charm than this quill," Harry responded, picking up a long white quill that was lying on the table. "Though, this quill is quite charming now that I look at it. Much more so than you, Ronald."  
  
Harry ducked as Ron swung at him. Ginny doubled over on the floor laughing and it was taking all of Hermione's constraint to not fall off her chair too. No one was laughing harder than Harry was though.  
  
"I swear. I am my own biggest fan." Harry wiped some tears from his eyes, trying hopelessly to gain composure.  
  
The nineteen-year-old Harry Potter was becoming his father in many ways. Far from being hopeless in any situation as he was much of the time at Hogwarts, Harry had decided upon graduation to live his life to its fullest. The self-proclaimed "new Harry" cracked jokes, horsed around and was an all around good-natured guy. If Voldemort bothered him, he didn't let it show in the least, but never let things go if he was needed in some way. If asked to describe their best friend, Hermione and Ron would usually answer, 'smart, funny, affectionate, a joy to be around, compassionate, honest,' and many more such adjectives that Harry had discovered within himself. The "new Harry" had also discovered Ginny.  
  
Not to say that Ginny didn't exist before, Harry just didn't notice her in any other capacity than the fourth in their group, another friend to confide in. He had always enjoyed spending time around Ginny, flirting unknowingly with her. But, with Harry's new change in attitude, the flirting became deliberate. His goal, to some how get her to stop having a foolish little crush on him and start thinking seriously about a relationship.  
  
All in all, Harry was enjoying his life for once. He worked at the Ministry when he was needed, working for the Department of Mysteries, but never more than a few days a week. He could apparate on whim over to Ron's house to see him, or to Hermione's whenever he wanted. He was pursuing a relationship with someone he had fallen head over heels for. If he had to take the weight of the world on his shoulders, than he would, but not for every waking moment of his life. He was one guy; he could only do so much.  
  
Harry helped Ginny back into her chair, his laughter residing finally, and continued to eat his breakfast, throwing Ginny a look every so often that would start the two of them off again.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"I'm a kid for Merlin's sake, Sirius. I've said this to you before! I'll take the weight of the world on my shoulders sometimes, but I can't live and breathe as the world's savior! I give up the days to the Ministry that I should. I put a hell of a lot of work into what I do when I'm there. And when the time comes for me to do what I have to, I'll be there, looking destiny in the face. But I'm not going to sit in some confounded office everyday waiting for it to come to me!" Harry's voice rose through the burrow as he yelled at his Godfather.  
  
"Don't yell at me Harry! I just bring the news. It wasn't my question for you. Fudge made me come here and ask you. I told him you would say no, but he won't listen to me. He's still hung up on that wrongful arrest thing. Still thinks I'm incapable of doing MY job. He wants to hear if from your mouth."  
  
"Oh, he'll fucking hear it from my mouth. Useless piece of garbage, he is." Harry pounded up the stairs and knocked hard on Ginny's door. "Gin! Do you have some parchment I could use?"  
  
"Um, yeah I think so. Come on in." Harry thrust the door open to Ginny's room. "You okay?"  
  
"It's nothing. Just something with work. Gets me so irritated. Fudge thinks he can- never mind. I don't want to get you in a bad mood too. I'm being ridiculous."  
  
"I'm sure you're not. Here's some parchment. I'm here if you want to talk." Ginny smiled lightly.  
  
"Thanks, Gin. May take you up on that in a little while." Harry leaned forward and kissed her cheek in a rush and shut the door behind him.  
  
"No problem," Ginny responded to the shut door, putting her hand to her cheek lightly.  
  
"Harry, don't you think you're being a bit unreasonable here?"  
  
"Sirius, you act like I'm going to say this stuff to his face. I'm just going to write him a note politely declining the increased job load and ever so charmingly tell him to go to hell, but in not so many words." Sirius shot Harry a look. "Alright, I'll leave the hell part out." There were a few moments silence as Harry scribbled onto the paper.  
  
"Dumbledore wants you to stay here Harry."  
  
"That was abrupt." Harry laughed. "I know. He told me. Fidelus Charm and a little something extra on the side. Seems to think I'll be better off here with a family."  
  
"You don't agree?"  
  
"I definitely agree, as long as it all works. I'm not going to risk the Weasleys. But I trust Dumbledore. And you and Remus and Arabella. Hopefully three people will be enough to throw him off."  
  
"We can only hope. Alright, I'm going back to the office. I'll be over sometime in the next couple days to check on you."  
  
"I'm a big boy now Sirius. I wear underwear in case you haven't noticed. But thanks all the same." He shot Sirius a grin as his Godfather laughed loudly.  
  
"You are your fathers son. See ya later kid." He ruffled Harry's hair and with a pop he was gone.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Harry's face was squished into his hand when Ginny found him an hour later, leaning over the parchment she had given him, sitting Indian style on one of the kitchen chairs.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
He raised his head slightly and spread his fingers apart so he could look through them. "Hey."  
  
Ginny giggled in spite of herself. "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah. Just trying to finish up this letter to Fudge. 'Sincerely' or 'Rot in Hell you Slimy Git'."  
  
"I would go with the first one."  
  
"Awww. You're no fun."  
  
"Sorry. What's going on?" Ginny pulled one of the chairs around to his side of the table.  
  
"Fudge is trying to get me to come in and work full time in the Department. Sit at a desk all day everyday. BLAH! Not for me thanks." Harry hastily signed his name and stuffed the letter in an envelope. He stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled. Moments later, Hedwig landed on the kitchen table in front of him.  
  
"That's a well trained owl."  
  
"I think she prefers to think I'm a well trained human. Don't you girl?" Hedwig nipped his finger affectionately and stuck out her leg. "Alright, girl. Get this to Fudge. Hopefully this will be the last time I have to write this letter." Hedwig hooted in agreement, and took off out the kitchen window, but not before stopping and nipping Ginny's ear playfully.  
  
"She's got good taste. Knows who the good ones are."  
  
Ginny turned away from the table, blushing yet again.  
  
"I got an idea!" Harry clapped his hand onto her thigh. "Let's go play some Quidditch! Pleeeeeeease Gin?"  
  
"I can't say no to you. You're too cute. Let's go." It was Harry's turn to blush as Ginny sprinted from the kitchen and out the front door.  
  
"One of these days, I'll get that girl." Harry smiled to himself and took off out the door after Ginny. 


	2. Some Kind of Wonderful

A/N: So I just want to say that I received a review for my first fic, Dreams (which, by the way, I finished and gave up on several weeks ago and the only thing I may do with it is change some grammar and word errors and make some things line up better) , today and I want to point out to who ever wrote it that that fic is a piece of BLAH! Not that this one is any better, but I never claimed to be a writer did I? Transitions? What are those? Does Point A really need to go to Point B in a smooth manner? Probably, but in my world, NAH!  
  
Chapter 2: Some Kind of Wonderful  
  
There was something about Harry that made Ginny feel young. Not that she was old, but old enough to feel embarrassed when she messed around and acted childish. But being around Harry always seemed to lift that feeling from her shoulders. Harry just radiated cheerfulness and playfulness. There was something mentally safe about being around Harry Potter.  
  
Harry had quickly caught up to Ginny after she peeled out of the burrow. He grabbed her around the waist and easily picked her up, but tripped over his own feet and sent them both sprawling to the ground.  
  
"Omph!"  
  
"That was a tad less than graceful," Ginny giggled.  
  
"A-ware! Thank you!" Harry spun around started to tickle Ginny mercilessly. "Apologize!"  
  
"NEVER!" she managed to shout between bouts of laughter. Harry only dug his fingers into her sides harder.  
  
Ron watched from the burrow door as his best friend and his sister wrestled in the grass. Harry had confessed to Ron about wanting to be with his sister, and though the overprotective brother had reared his ugly head, Ron was genuinely glad that it was Harry and not some muggle jerk off the street. Hell, he was practically a member of the family anyway.  
  
"OK! OK! I'm sorry. I give up!" Harry finally let go and pushed himself up and then offered a hand to Ginny. He turned to the house and saw Ron standing at the door.  
  
"Ronniekins! Come play Quidditch with us!" Harry yelled, knowing the nickname would be enough to at least get Ron away from the door.  
  
Ron shot a glare at his friend, but walked out to the front yard, broom in hand.  
  
"You gonna play?" Harry asked, gesturing at Ron's broom.  
  
"No. I was planning on shoving this up your-"  
  
"RON!"  
  
"Sorry Gin. Yeah, I guess I'll play." Ron mounted his broom and kicked off from the ground. Harry followed quickly after, Ginny right on his heels with their Quaffle.  
  
The three practiced shooting on each other for sometime, before Fred and George got home. They eagerly got their brooms and pulled Bill out to play too.  
  
"Say, Ron, you're pretty good. You should play professionally," Harry kidded as he flew past. Ron had been playing for the West Ham team since they had left school two years ago and was causing quite a buzz in the Quidditch world. Word on the street was England was looking for a new Keeper and had their eye on the youngest Weasley brother.  
  
As the sun set on them, Harry flew to the ground.  
  
"I have to work tomorrow," he whined apologetically, as the Weasley boys stuck their tongues out at him. Ginny landed behind him, still a little skeptical about Harry being okay. She followed him inside and accosted him as he reached for Ron's door.  
  
"You're still upset." He spun on his heels to face her, a bit surprised she followed him.  
  
"I'm fine Gin. Really." He gave her a good-natured smile and attempted to open the door, but Ginny stopped him once again, stepping between him and his thoughts of her alone.  
  
"That's a lie and you know it. You're going to go into work tomorrow all angry at Fudge about things and something bad is going to happen." Ginny crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked sternly at Harry.  
  
"You underestimate me Virginia Weasley. I've done this before remember. And besides, it's not Fudge that's bothering me." Harry tried for the handle to the door again, not really wanting to confess to Ginny that it was her that had him a little bothered, but Ginny's hand shot out in front of it.  
  
"Than tell me what really is wrong." It wasn't a question. It was a demand.  
  
"I really don't think you want me to do that," Harry laughed, as Ginny tried to look sterner, but failed miserably. "Come on Gin. You look so much better when you're not angry." He pressed his fingers into her dimples and pulled her cheeks into a smile.  
  
"You're not charming your way out of this one Mr. Potter. What's going on? Tell me. I want to help."  
  
"Oh, Ginny, you help everyday without knowing. I'd tell you dear, but it might just knock your cute pink socks off."  
  
Ginny didn't budge.  
  
"Giiiiinnnnn," he whined.  
  
"Haaaaarrrrrryyyyy," she whined back. He sighed in defeat and looked her straight in the eyes.  
  
"Fine, I'll tell you, but you have to promise you'll let me go to bed right after. Agreed?" Ginny nodded. "Okay. You asked for it. I'm in love with you but you don't seem to want to pursue much more than a schoolgirl- esqe crush type thing. Ama-jig. Ama-bob. 'Cuse me." Harry brushed past her effortlessly, and shut the door behind him, leaving a very bewildered Ginny outside his door.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Ginny jumped out of bed hurriedly. She needed to talk to him before he went to work. The sun was just peering over the edge of the hill as she crept down the stairs to a *very* Harry-lacking kitchen. Two pieces of parchment hung on the icebox. One was written on, the other blank. Ginny pulled the first from the door and sat down to read.  
  
*~*  
  
Morning Everyone!  
  
Short day at the office today, so I'll be home around 2ish. Ick, that is so un-me to say. "short day at the office??" BLAH! Anyway, I'm making dinner tonight, so no head starts on me Mrs. Weasley. Have a good morning.  
  
Harry  
  
*~*  
  
Ginny giggled slightly and looked back to the other piece of paper. Harry scrawl was magically writing on the paper as she watched.  
  
*~*  
  
Morning Ginny.  
  
First up I see. Well, sorta see. But anyway, we'll talk when I get home. I was hoping you'd help me make dinner tonight, if you're not too busy with the article and what not. Have a good day beautiful *wink*.  
  
Harry  
  
*~*  
  
Ginny panicked. She flung the note to the table not knowing what to do with it. As she stared at the paper, Ron came barreling down the stairs, late for practice as usual. He snatched the papers from the table before Ginny could do anything.  
  
"Have a good day at work my ass," Ron mumbled, throwing one of the papers back to the table. Ginny picked up the paper in wonder. "I'll Icke Ronniekins him right back to Hogwarts next time he does that." With that, the door slammed behind Ron.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Harry! Just the man I was looking for."  
  
"Cornelius. What can I do for you today?" Harry responded, not bothering to look up from his work.  
  
"I was just wondering why you didn't want to come and work for me full time here. I got your owl yesterday, and was a bit taken aback by your refusal." Minister Fudge stopped as Harry's eyes darted to a piece of parchment on the corner of his desk and he began to laugh. "Excuse me?"  
  
"So sorry Cornelius. It's just something I left for the Weasleys this morning seems to have made its way to Ms. Granger and Ms. Abbott's flat in Ottery St. Catchpole." Fudge just stared at him blankly. "Never mind. About your offer. I'm just out of Hogwarts, Cornelius, and I'm not going to whittle away the rest of my youth cooped up in an office everyday. One day when I settle down and such, I'd be honored to work full time on your staff. But for now, I think I'd like to stay where I am. Besides, I don't think Willow would be too happy losing me, isn't that right Ms. Bode?"  
  
"Quite right Harry." A dark-haired witch had entered Harry's cubicle while he was talking. Willow Bode, head of the Department of Mysteries, was leaning against the makeshift doorway. "You have that report for me?"  
  
"Yup. Here you go," Harry replied pushing the report to the edge of the desk. Willow picked up the report and laughed at the parchment on Harry's desk.  
  
"Quite a list of notes you wrote this morning Mr. Potter. Good to see many of them aren't going to waste."  
  
"You never know who may stop by, or what meddlesome female Weasley might run off with it." He threw Bode a smile as he shuffled some papers into their spot on the cluttered desk. "I should have that other report done for you before I leave today."  
  
"Wonderful. Excellent job Potter. I'll be around about one to get that." Willow smiled, and turned to Fudge. "Minister."  
  
"Bode." Fudge bowed slightly to Willow as she left the office.  
  
"Now, Minister Fudge, if there's nothing else, I need to get finished with this other report. I only have a couple hours before I leave for the rest of the week." Harry looked up over his glasses at Cornelius expectantly.  
  
Fudge sighed heavily, took one last look at Harry, bowed and left.  
  
"Bout fucking time, asshole," Harry mumbled as he turned his attention back to his work.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Oh my god, Hermione! It was so weird! He was so totally nonchalant about the whole thing. Just like, 'I love you', and then walked into his room. And in his note this morning, he called me beautiful. Mione, do you think he means it?"  
  
"Harry wouldn't lie to you Ginny," Hermione responded matter-of-factly. "Especially about something like that. I think he was telling you the truth. What do you think?" Hermione bit down hard on a piece of carrot stick as she fed the rest to her owl, Morwen.  
  
"I think he totally doesn't know how I feel about him in the least. I mean, sure, I still have that "crush" on him, but there's so much more to it now."  
  
"Really. That's news to me. Why don't you explain it to me Ginny." Ginny jumped and spun around towards the door.  
  
"Harry. What are you doing here?"  
  
"Looking for my cooking assistant. I figured you were here."  
  
"Oh, Harry, don't pat yourself on the back. You knew where she was cuz of the note," Hermione reprimanded.  
  
Harry looked guiltily back at her. "You expose all my magic, ya know."  
  
"Oh come off it. She's seen one before."  
  
"But she had no idea she was seeing it. Mur on you Hermione. Mur on you and your silly brain and big mouth."  
  
"Could someone please explain what you're talking about?"  
  
Hermione kept staring right back at Harry. "The note you brought over. He writes them all the time. Makes a bunch of different ones each morning for a bunch of different people and you can only read what he wrote for you. And he can keep track of when you read it, and who reads it."  
  
Ginny stared at the paper in her hands.  
  
"So anyway. I need to get home to cook dinner. You're coming over right?" Harry asked Hermione. She nodded curtly, rolling her eyes. "Good. Gin, ready to go home?"  
  
"Um, sure, I guess so," Ginny stammered, taking out her wand. Harry gave her a quick grin, and with a pop he was gone.  
  
"Gin, listen, Harry meant what he said last night. Just talk to him. I'm sure you can get him to see you feel a little more deeply for him than he thinks you do. Good luck. And I'll see you later tonight. And relax! It's just Harry!" Hermione threw her a large smile, before Ginny disappeared from the flat.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Bout time. I did all the shopping in the time it took you to get back here," Harry chided as Ginny appeared in the kitchen. She stuck her tongue out at him. "Do that again and I'll take you up on that offer."  
  
"Eep!" She reeled her tongue back in quickly.  
  
Harry laughed loudly as he put the chicken in the icebox. "Cute Gin."  
  
"Harry, I HAVE to show you something. Wait here!" Ginny ran to her room, completely forgetting about being shy and uncomfortable around Harry. She pushed the door to her room open and began to rummage through her trunk. She finally found what she was looking for just in time for the weight of the situation downstairs to come crashing back. She was going to have to do this carefully, and tactfully for that matter, if she was going to do this right.  
  
She walked back down the stairs slowly, calculating exactly how the song was going to do all the talking for her.  
  
"So I scrounged this up at the Prophet office, just sitting around, and I brought it home. Hermione has one, so she showed me how to use it." Ginny heaved a boom box onto the kitchen table, and let a pile of CDs fall next to it. "So I went out to one of the muggle malls with Mione a couple days before you got here and picked up some CDs."  
  
Ginny took a deep breath, hoping that Harry would realize what she was doing. She slid a CD into the slot and cued the CD up. "What do you need me to do?"  
  
"Could you cut up that fruit for me?" Harry asked, pointing to a bag next to the sink as the song started to play.  
  
*~*  
  
I'm tugging at my hair, and pulling at my clothes. I'm trying to keep my cool. I know it shows. I'm staring at my feet; my cheeks are turning red. I'm searching for the words inside my head. I'm feeling nervous, trying to be so perfect, cuz I know you're worth it. You're worth it. Yeah.  
  
*~*  
  
"Good?" she asked, holding out a handful of fruit to him.  
  
"Perfect," Harry answered, turning his head to look at her. "Oh, you meant the fruit! Yeah, that's great."  
  
Ginny blushed as she dumped the handful of mangos into the bowl.  
  
*~*  
  
If I could say what I want to say, I'd say I want to blow you---away. Be with you every night; am I squeezing you too tight? If I could say what I want to see, I want to see you go down---on one knee. Marry me today. Guess I'm wishing my life away, with these things I'd never say.  
  
*~*  
  
"Who is this?" Harry looked at the CD player briefly.  
  
"Avril Lavigne."  
  
"Pretty good for chick rock."  
  
'Is he truly that thick?' Ginny thought staring at the back of his head.  
  
*~*  
  
It don't do my any good; it's just a waste of time. What use is it to you what's on my mind? If it ain't coming out, we're not going anywhere. So why can't I just tell you that I care? I'm feeling nervous, trying to be so perfect, cuz I know you're worth it. You're worth it. Yeah.  
  
*~*  
  
"Ron doesn't like peppers, right?" Harry asked, looking up again.  
  
"Right."  
  
"Splendid. One salad with extra peppers." Ginny giggled lightly as Harry picked up a head of lettuce.  
  
*~*  
  
What's wrong, with my tongue? These words keep slipping away. I stutter, I stumble, like I've got nothing to say. But I'm feeling nervous, trying to be so perfect, cuz I know you're worth it. You're worth it.  
  
*~*  
  
Harry put down the lettuce he was cutting and hit the stop button on the CD player. "Sit," he demanded, pointing to the kitchen table.  
  
Ginny dropped her knife and sat down at the table grudgingly.  
  
"I need to do something. Feel free to slap me or what have you afterwards." Harry bent down quickly and kissed Ginny soundly on the lips. "Thanks." He turned back to his cutting.  
  
"Wait, wait, wait! You're going to do that and then pretend as if nothing happened? I don't think so Harry Potter. You can't go up to someone who's in love with you and just kiss them and expect nothing to happen because of it. You may be the greatest wizard in the world, but you certainly suck at figuring out what girls will do next!"  
  
Harry shrugged, hiding the smile that was growing on his face.  
  
"You have no idea how to handle girls at all! I'm not going to just shrug that off. I care about you more than I think you even care to know. Way beyond some stupid schoolgirl crush. I'm not one of your hero-worshippers Harry. The name doesn't faze me at all anymore. This goes way beyond that."  
  
"Ginny. Stop."  
  
"NO!"  
  
Harry chuckled. "So, you love me?"  
  
Ginny caught herself. Did she just say that to him? She totally needed to check with her brain next time she went off on a rant. She looked up at Harry and saw the amused smile on his face. "You big jerk! You did that on purpose! You are so self-centered. You knew that I was either going to yell at you, or let it go."  
  
"Got it out of you though, didn't I? Really, Ginny, would you have told me otherwise anytime soon if I hadn't done that to you? I mean, I know you're trying to tell me here with this song and all, but I would rather hear from you. You needed a push in the right direction." Harry laughed at his own joke. "Come here." He pulled a chair out and sat down. Ginny walked over and he pulled her into his lap.  
  
"This was a mean rotten trick you played Harry James Potter. And I don't know if I shall forgive you soon for it." Ginny stared at the ceiling indignantly.  
  
"I'm not looking for you to forgive me. Just talk to me. Really. Did you mean everything you said before?"  
  
"Every word. Something about you after you left school drew my in. You really became the man behind the name to me. And you confuse the hell out of me!" Ginny began to hit Harry on the shoulder.  
  
"OW! Stop. Don't do that."  
  
"I try forever to get you to notice me, and then when I stop, you finally do! I love you so much, but I hate you!" Ginny started to hit him again. "You are so aggravating, and pompous, and pig headed - and sweet, and honest, and caring, and funny - and a jerk!" She hit him one last time for good measure, this time exceptionally hard.  
  
"Who knew falling for you would be so painful?" Harry complained, rubbing his shoulder.  
  
A sudden pop pulled their attention to the fireplace.  
  
"Harry, we need you out here." Sirius's head hovered in the fireplace. "There's been a massive attack and some Muggles are really confused and need some new memories. We can only do so much to find everyone, but hell, we need some back-up. We're in Heathrow. How fast can you get here?"  
  
"I'll be there in like 2 minutes, ok. Need to clean up."  
  
"Harry, I got it. Go. They need you. I'll finish dinner. Be careful, though, cuz I want to finish this discussion later." Ginny got up and turned to face him.  
  
"You sure?" Ginny nodded her head. "Oh, Gin, I owe you big time. You are an absolute doll, you know that? Stay safe all right and let Ron and Mione and your parents know where I am, and if I won't be home for dinner, I'll floo you and let you know, ok? Please, just stay inside, and try to reach Ron at the pitch and Hermione at her flat and get them home as soon as you can. I love you, remember that." Harry kissed her cheek and with a wave of his hand, he was gone. 


	3. Second Thoughts

Chapter 3: Second Thoughts  
  
"So tell me exactly what happened." Harry looked at the muggle woman softly as she continued to weep.  
  
"It was terrible. We were just standing here talking and then suddenly this group of people in black cloaks and masks appear out of thin air and start firing things at us. A lot of the bushes started on fire. And then there was this popping noise and a bunch of weirdly dressed men started after the men in the black cloaks. What just happened? Who were those people?" The muggle started crying harder now.  
  
Harry sighed deeply. No one could tell him anything about what lead up to the attack. None of the muggles had any idea what really happened.  
  
Most of the ministry officials were long gone now, leaving the Department of Muggle Relations employees (and Harry) to the long task of getting some kind of information about the attack and modifying memories back to the way they were. Harry was sitting with his last muggle trying to get anything out of the hysteric woman. It was nearing six as he raised his wand for the last time and uttered the specially designed memory charm to clear the muggle's head of everything that had happened today.  
  
"Finite obliviate." He led the woman out the back of the tent he was in, slowly explaining the ministry's cover story before he let her go. He trudged back to the tent where Sirius was.  
  
"Sirius, I taking off. I'm going to miss dinner if I don't leave now."  
  
"Go! You should have left hours ago when Bode and the rest your department left."  
  
"I wasn't going to let you guys handle this all on your own. You, Remus, Arabella and Mr. Fitch would've been here for ages."  
  
"Well, we appreciate it Harry. Above and beyond the call of duty. I'll see you later." Sirius stood up from his piles of parchment where he had written notes and gave Harry a quick hug good-bye. Before Sirius could sit down again, Harry was gone.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"I don't know when he's going to be home, Mother. He told me that if he wasn't going to be here for dinner he would floo us. And I haven't heard anything since he left." Ginny sighed in defeat as she threw herself into her chair. She had spent the whole afternoon worrying about Harry and what had happened in Heathrow. Her father had come home insisting that everything was fine, but Ginny wouldn't be convinced until she saw Harry back in the house.  
  
She stabbed at her salad as the clock struck six. Then, as if reading her mind, Harry appeared in the kitchen.  
  
"Oh thank god!" Ginny pushed the chair away from the table so quickly she knocked it into the counter and sent a basket of bread flying through the air. She was at Harry's side in an instant pulling him into hug that he returned happily. "You're all right."  
  
"I'm fine. Nothing bad happened after the Ministry Aurors got there. Just a long afternoon of modifying memories and getting no where with leads." Harry reluctantly let go and turned towards the table. "I'm sorry I'm late. Muggle Relations had their hands full today. Went through nearly 40 people myself before I called it quits." He pulled his chair out and took a seat.  
  
"As long as you're okay, Harry dear. Ginny picked up the slack for you with dinner," Mrs. Weasley said passing Harry the chicken.  
  
"Figured she would. Looks great, Gin. Especially the mangoes." Harry threw Ginny a smile as she broke into a fit of giggles. The rest of the family looked at them with no clue. "Nevermind."  
  
Ron shrugged it off and dug back into his chicken.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Harry curled up onto the couch in the burrow's living room with Hermione sitting across from him. They had shooed Ginny and Ron away upstairs so they could talk.  
  
"You okay Harry?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess so. Today was horrible though. I mean, yeah there was Ginny and everything with her, and hell, that blew me away. But when I got to Heathrow this afternoon, it all seemed to drift away. It's been quiet lately, and we've finally gotten the chance to rest at the ministry. I mean, I just finished the last report on the last attack today, and I was looking forward to not having to deal with Voldemort for at least a week. And here I was, having a totally enjoyable afternoon with Ginny, and then, BAM! it all goes to hell again. And that place was terrible. And something tells me this is just the beginning." Harry sighed into his hands and pushed his hair back fretfully.  
  
Hermione stood up and joined Harry on the couch, taking his hand.  
  
"I'm trying Hermione. I really am. I'm trying to be happy and cheerful and not let things get me down, but it just keeps pushing at me. Nothing seems to come from anything I do over there. I type some stuff on a computer and print it out so we can look like were in order. But, truthfully, the ministry is in shambles. It's like we don't even know which way is up anymore.  
  
"And then there's Ginny."  
  
"What about Ginny?" Hermione asked, looking at him quizzically.  
  
"She's gorgeous. I'm head over heels for her and all I want to do is protect her. But every time I get near her, something calls me away. I'm sure she's beyond angry at me for leaving all the time."  
  
"Harry, I think the least of your problems is Ginny possibly being mad at you. I think the greeting you got this evening is enough to prove that to you."  
  
"Perhaps your right."  
  
"Of course I am. I'm always right."  
  
"Thanks Herm. I can always count on you to put the situation in perspective for me," Harry said sarcastically.  
  
"No problem. It's my job."  
  
"You're daft Hermione. Completely daft."  
  
"Perhaps." Hermione smiled at Harry. "But putting me aside for moment, we need to get back to you."  
  
Harry sighed again. "Is being happy about things doing anything Hermione? I feel like I'm talking to nothing when I crack jokes. Like nothing I'm saying matters to anyone anymore." Harry slumped down, resting his head on Hermione's knee.  
  
"Harry, of course we hear you. Can I be brutally honest with you?"  
  
"Can this day get any worse?" Harry sat up quickly, throwing Hermione a wicked smile. Hermione pushed him back down.  
  
"I was talking to Ron the other day. I'm not too sure how to say this to you, but Harry, you are a joy now. Not that you weren't before or anything, but since school has ended, I finally feel like I know you. And I know Ron feels the same way. And Ginny too. You have become the Harry that we all want to surround ourselves with. I think your bigger problem is worrying about me being mad at you because you're never around."  
  
Harry chuckled and sat up slowly. "You really think that, Mione?"  
  
"Uh-huh. And I'll find people to back me up on this one." Hermione smiled at Harry softly. "We love you Harry. All of us.  
  
"Now about these Ministry issues, what do you plan on doing about it? It's obviously got you so turned around you're stressing your self out over little things."  
  
"I can't leave the ministry Hermione. There's too much to do. It just feels like the whole world is on my shoulders. And one day it will be, and that's daunting."  
  
"You need something to take your mind off it for a little while. Like Ginny. You are so focused on having everything in the world on top of you now, that you have no time for any happy thoughts. Now, if there were something to take your mind off it for a little while everyday, it would help immensely. You need a girl, Harry, if only for five minutes. And you know which one I mean. Now go upstairs and finish your conversation with her, and I don't want to hear you leaving until the two of you are dating!" Hermione pushed Harry from the couch and he landed on the floor with a loud clunk. Harry laughed as he stood up and looked at Hermione  
  
"You're the best Mione."  
  
"I know. Now get before I push you up the stairs!"  
  
Harry started up the stairs.  
  
"Oh, and could you send Ron down. I need to talk to him about some things."  
  
"Sure," he called back and continued up. After getting Ron for Hermione, and gathering his courage, he walked towards Ginny's door.  
  
'This is it Potter. Don't screw it up.'  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Ginny sat on her bed, laptop on the bed before her and four words written on the screen.  
  
'Muggles Attacked. Deatheaters Suspected.'  
  
She had never claimed to be a journalistic genius, but for some reason, her boss thought she could whip out a front-page story in an evening for the next day's paper. She had nothing to write, even with the piles of notes that one of the interns had taken for her. None of her words could ever seem to do the attacks justice. She had finally resigned herself to having to ask Harry and Hermione for help. But, she had decidedly given up for the time being, sticking one of her CD's into her CD-ROM drive and hooking up her headphones.  
  
The only reason she was in her room was because Harry had pushed her upstairs so he could talk to Hermione after dinner. It had to be the setting that was bothering her. She could never type in her room. She typed best in the family room, with Ron, Hermione and Harry around talking, or playing a game or just sitting by the fire. Ron and Hermione would bicker about some meaningless thing, and Harry and Ginny would share a private laugh as he braided her hair. That was when her ideas came smoothest. Around Harry.  
  
She sighed and closed her eyes and began to mouth along with the words on the CD. She was so caught up in her CD she didn't notice Harry standing in her doorway. He stood and smiled amusedly at her until the song was over and she opened her eyes again.  
  
"HARRY! Holy shit you scared me. What the hell were you thinking?"  
  
"Sorry. I'll leave then."  
  
"NO! I mean you don't have to. You just startled me. Come on in." Ginny removed her headphones and placed her laptop on her desk. Harry sat cross- legged on her bed. "So what's up?"  
  
"Well, we were having a discussion before I got called away from you. Again. And I wanted to apologize. Every time we start talking, something comes up and I have to leave or something. I feel bad."  
  
"Don't feel bad Harry, I understand. It's not like you want stuff to come up."  
  
"I know. But I do. It racks me every time I leave. You seem so okay with it all, but, shit, we've been trying to have this conversation for what seems like years. And every time I'm about to get to my point, something else calls my attention from you. But tonight, we are going to finish this conversation if it kills me."  
  
"It just may." Ginny smiled wickedly at him. "If you don't stop talking about this non-existent anger I have with you, I going to punch you."  
  
"I've been having a rough day, ya know? And you seem to be able to put things straight for me. There's never a dull moment with you Gin." He chuckled. "So, anyway, I need to ask you something."  
  
"Go for it."  
  
"This is going to seem really weird, but I want you to answer me honestly, k?"  
  
Ginny just nodded.  
  
Harry reached to the back of his neck to scratch the bottom of his hair nervously. Ginny slapped his hand down. "Stop."  
  
Harry glared at her as he always did. "I'm starting to regret asking you to stop me when I did that." Ginny just shrugged, as she slapped his hand down again.  
  
"Stop." Another glare. Ginny grabbed his wrists. "Now talk." He pulled his wrists away.  
  
"I'll stop. I promise." Ginny looked unconvinced, but let it go for the time being. Harry sighed deeply and began.  
  
"This whole thing, me and this change and stuff. Is it worth anything? Like, do you like me now as a person and stuff?"  
  
"Harry, I told you that crack was bad for you! Where are you coming up with this? You want to know the real truth? The real, whole, solid truth? Stop." Another slap. Another glare and a sigh of defeat.  
  
"Well, yeah."  
  
"I love you Harry Potter. And this whole "new Harry" thing made me fall for you even harder. If you enjoy the person you are, I can guarantee you that I love this person sitting next to me. If you feel the need to be someone else, I'll be right there with you. Something about you draws me to you, and it goes beyond the scar and the story.  
  
"Any five-year-old could rattle off everything about your life, but I feel like I know you deeper than that. And this past year, I've figured out that I learned about you because I opened myself to the person you are behind the face and the name. And you let me in. And then last night you tell me you love me. And I flipped out. I went into my room and pushed my face into that pillow, cast a silencing spell and screamed until my throat was sore."  
  
Harry laughed softly. "I'm trying to picture that. You're too much, you know? What gives you the gift to know exactly what to say at exactly the right time?"  
  
"I'm not sure, because I've never done it before. I usually end up sticking my foot into my mouth. Stop." Slap. Glare. Sigh.  
  
"You've always known what to say to me to make me fall for you."  
  
"I guess I can add that to my list of successes, huh? For once I did what I set out to do concerning Harry Potter." Harry laughed out loud and took her hand.  
  
"So I guess it's time for me to bear my soul to you now, huh? Well, Virginia Weasley, I am completely head-over-heels for you. Getting to know you has been a joy. And letting you get to know me has been a life changing thing for me. I had never let anyone but Hermione and Ron in on who I really was. And it has been a little hard to leave myself open to someone else, but I guess it all worked out. And there is nothing I would want more than to be able to share myself more with you, for you really do accept me for who I am."  
  
Near tears, Ginny turned to Harry who was looking at the ceiling while he was talking. Harry wagered a look at her and saw her crying. "Oh, Ginny, come here." Ginny crawled into Harry's lap and he rubbed her back. Slowly, her crying subsided and she sat to look at Harry. He wore the same good-natured smile he always did, always genuine and inviting. "You alright?"  
  
She could only nod. She just didn't trust her voice right now.  
  
Harry smiled at her again, reassuringly. He reached behind his head to scratch the back of his neck again. "Stop." Ginny hit his hand down again. "You promised you'd stop." She grabbed his wrists again.  
  
"Ya know, I only do it when I'm nervous now."  
  
"Good. A little more practice and you'll stop doing it all together. I'm only helping because you asked me to."  
  
Harry shook his head and laughed lightly. "Like I said. You're too much." With that, he closed the gap between their faces and kissed her softly, rejoicing in the fact that the conversation was finally over. And it had only taken two years.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N: So, the exchange between Harry and Ginny with the "Stop" thing is so true to life of my best friend and her boyfriend. It's really funny, because you can be having a conversation with them and this will be going on, but they never miss a beat in the conversation. I find it absolutely hilarious. Anyway, sorry it took me so long. I've rewritten this chapter like three times. Can you imagine? This was worse before! The story will pick up soon, promise. Just had to get them together. ON TO CHAPTER FOUR, (which I have half written, I just couldn't figure this chapter out.) 


	4. A Hell of A Week

Chapter 4: A Hell of a Week  
  
"Holy Merlin! OW! What the hell was that?" Harry winced in pain as Hermione wrapped his hand.  
  
"Just a little something I whipped up. Now stop fidgeting or this is going to hurt more tomorrow morning." Hermione pushed Harry's forearm to the table.  
  
"I swear, if I catch who did this, there will be Hell to pay."  
  
"If you weren't trying to be the hero again, you never would have gotten hit with the hex, so blame yourself, you stupid wanker."  
  
"Thank you Ron. I can always count on you to straighten things out. If I hadn't jumped in front of that hex, Willow would be dead right now. Son of a-"  
  
"Harry!" Hermione shot Harry a look. Harry bit his lip as he suppressed another profanity.  
  
The week had not gone well by any standards, and today was no exception. Expecting Harry to be in the living room that morning, Ginny had freaked when he was nowhere to be found in the burrow. He had apparated at about 5 in the morning, to the site of yet another attack, this time on the remnants of a morning witches' tea meeting. While there were no muggles to worry about this time, the Deatheaters had been much more generous in doling out Unforgiveables towards the witches. When the ministry arrived, not one had decided to leave, seeing fit to duel with the ministry officials into late in the morning.  
  
Harry had arrived third to the scene, and done his part to rounding up who they could. But a Deatheater had fired a hex at Willow Bode while her back was turned and Harry had jumped in front of it. It had grazed his shoulder, causing a nasty gash. Harry had continued to fight, but when the Deatheaters finally disapparated, he had headed straight for Hermione's.  
  
"There! Now put this on every two hours until tomorrow and then it should be healed. Come back if it doesn't get better though, okay?"  
  
"Thank you Dr. Hermione, Medicine Woman," Harry added sarcastically as he stood up to apparate back to the burrow. Hermione glared at him. "I'm sorry. Thank you, really. It's been a tough week."  
  
"I know, but it's no reason to be a brat to your friends." Harry gave her a pleading look. She sighed heavily. "Alright. Apology accepted." Harry grinned at her, and jumped the kitchen chair to give her a hug.  
  
"You're the best."  
  
"I know. Now get home before Ginny has a freaking heart attack." Hermione pushed Harry away, but smiled at him.  
  
Harry chuckled. "I'll see you two later. Bye Hannah!" he called to Hermione's roommate.  
  
Hannah stuck her out from the bathroom door, hair still dripping from her shower. "Bye Harry. Feel better, k?"  
  
"I'll try." With that, he waved to his friends and apparated to the burrow.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Why me? Why do I have to pick the boyfriend who goes out and almost gets him self killed every day? What were you thinking, just leaving like that? No note, you're gone on your day off, Ron's missing, and your hand on the clock pointing to 'Mortal Peril'. I've been sitting here worrying all morning. And then I have to hear from Hermione that you're there, and hurt besides, but you want me to stay here. You are impossible, ya know?" Ginny huffed, exasperated, as she paced across her bedroom floor.  
  
"You done?" Harry looked up at Ginny timidly.  
  
Ginny threw herself onto the bed, sitting next to him. "I was so worried about you, Harry. With everything that's been happening this week, and then, one morning I wake up and you're no where to be found. Don't do this to me." Harry wrapped his arms around Ginny as her head sank to his (unhurt) shoulder.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ginny. I'm sorry." He rubbed her back as she sobbed into his shoulder. "I know you just want to have some sort of normal relationship-"  
  
"That's not even it! I knew from the beginning that this, us, we would never be normal. And it doesn't bother me. I just worry about you, donning a cape and running off to save the world every weekend."  
  
"Not every weekend," Harry mumbled.  
  
"That's not the point, Harry! You disappear and I have no idea where you are sometimes. And with everything that has happened this week, the Prophet getting attacked, and Sirius, Remus and Bella's office being destroyed, and Hogwarts almost being broken into, what can I think when you aren't here when you're supposed to be? And what happens when you don't come back? I just found you. I don't want to lose you." (A/N: Soooooooo Cliché, I know)  
  
"Ginny, I'll always come back, I promise. I don't want you worrying about me. And if I'm hurt, I'm hurt, but I'll always get better." Ginny sunk into Harry's lap as she tried to stifle her crying.  
  
"So I guess I have no choice but to become an Auror so I can watch over you." Harry snorted loudly. "What? You don't think I could do it?"  
  
"Ginny, sweetie, you could do it, no doubt about it. But you must be absolutely daft if you think that I'm going to let you do that."  
  
"If you're going to LET me? I'm a big girl now Harry Potter. I can do what I want without you protecting me."  
  
"Than why can't I? If you're allowed to try and protect me, I'm sure as hell going to do everything in my power to protect you." Harry wrapped his arms tighter around Ginny's waist. "You, my love, aren't going anywhere except to your desk to write that article."  
  
Ginny laughed in spite of herself. "Impossible, you are. Never know what's going to happen tomorrow with you."  
  
"You want to know what will happen with me tomorrow? I'll end up going to work and filing paperwork all day, until Fudge comes in and makes another attempt to get me to work for him full time. After he leaves, after I've turned him down yet AGAIN, I'll file some more paperwork until six and then I'll come home tired and pissed because Sundays are most definitely my day off." Harry got up from her bed and rummaged through a pile of his clothes in the corner of her room as he talked to her. Ginny admired him as he changed his shirt and turned back to her.  
  
"Alright then. If you're going to have such a bad day tomorrow, we should do something tonight. I'll finish my article this afternoon while you nap a little, then I'll call Hermione and see if she and Ron want to go out somewhere tonight. Though you can't wear that shirt," she added, as she looked Harry up and down. "Imagine going to a nice restaurant with you wearing a shirt with a picture of a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich on it."  
  
"But I like this shirt!" Harry whined, crossing his arms over his chest.  
  
"Impossible. You always have to be impossible. Lie down and get some sleep, and we'll talk about this later." Harry sulked a bit, but climbed quickly into Ginny's bed. Ginny chuckled softly and pressed the on button on her laptop. She bent over and kissed Harry's forehead, and returned to her desk.  
  
*~*~*  
  
A few hours later, Harry was still asleep. A loud crack woke him suddenly and he sat up. Ginny was gone, and the sun was creeping in through the west window in her room. Harry made a grab for his glasses and wand and hopped from the bed carefully, listening for any other noises. He heard hushed voices and crept down the stairs to get a better listen.  
  
"Albus, he's comfortable here. He can live his life here. I'm quite sure there isn't anywhere else he'd want to be right now."  
  
"Be that as it may, Sirius, he can't stay here. After this morning's attack, even purebloods aren't safe. I need to take him somewhere else."  
  
"He's 19 Albus. You can't just shuffle him about like a child anymore. He's happy here, with Ron and Ginny and us."  
  
"Arthur, he KNOWS Harry's here. I can't put your family in that kind of danger."  
  
"Then let him come stay with me!" Sirius slammed his fist on the table. "The girls can't protect him."  
  
"The girl's flat is the best place for him Sirius. Voldemort has no idea that Hermione is still in England, and that she's living with Hannah. It's the last place he would look for him."  
  
"Until someone tells him I'm there. You think no one knows that Hermione is living with Hannah?" Harry stepped into the room from the stairs, looking directly at Dumbledore. His eyes stole a glance to the right and saw Ginny sitting by herself on the couch, holding back tears.  
  
"Harry, it's either that or Hogwarts. I can't protect you here anymore. Going to Hermione's will buy you some time, and I can set up some other wards there."  
  
"And what happens when Voldemort misses the memo about me leaving here? Me leaving isn't going to keep him from the Burrow." Harry walked slowly to the couch, his eyes still focused on Dumbledore. "At least if I'm here, I can help if he does come. I can't leave the Weasleys without anyone here. And don't say the Aurors will help, because I beat the Aurors this morning. Sirius, Remus and I were the first people there. There wasn't a Muggle to worry about this morning and we beat the Aurors there." He sat on the couch next to Ginny, pulled her into his lap, and took her hands.  
  
"These people are my family Professor. I'm not going to leave them open to being attacked without me here."  
  
"You leave all the time, to go to work and such Harry. How different is this?"  
  
"I can watch them at work. Let's say I leave here and go to Hermione's. I go to work one day and something happens here. The charm only works for 'home' Professor."  
  
"You cannot stay here Harry. There is no other choice. I'll give you the evening to think about it, but I'll be back tomorrow morning for your decision." With an air of finality, Albus Dumbledore disapparated from the room.  
  
Harry picked Ginny up from his lap effortlessly and set her back down on the couch. He walked purposefully towards the back door, and with a swish and a slam, he was in the backyard.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"I HATE YOU! YOU ALWAYS RUIN MY LIFE! WHY ME? WHY NOW, HUH? WHENEVER ANYTHING STARTS TO GO RIGHT, YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO RUIN IT! I HATE YOU!" The words bounced back at Harry amidst the empty sky, echoing eerily. "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" Harry slumped to the ground, tears streaming from his face.  
  
"He can't hear you Harry. Yelling at Voldemort won't make him go away," Sirius said, walking out from the house.  
  
Harry sighed. "I know Sirius. I know." He wiped his face with the back of his hand. "Every time I get comfortable though. I'm born, he kills my parents. I go to school, he comes back. I defeat him, and he sends a giant snake to attack all the muggle borns. I defeat him again, and he comes back again. I settle into a job, he's blows up the next-door neighbors. I come here and find the love of my life, he finds me again and I have to leave. It never fails."  
  
"Love of your life?"  
  
"I don't want to talk about it. I can't leave the Weasleys' Sirius. There's too much here for me."  
  
"Harry, we don't have a choice in the matter. And you wouldn't be leaving. It would take you three seconds to get here from Hermione's, by broom or by apparating. And everyone of them could come to you just as quickly."  
  
"Sirius, I just need to be alone. I'll be in in a little while." Harry looked up at Sirius with a distant look. Sirius nodded, and patting Harry on the shoulder, went back inside.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Several hours later found Harry still outside, the sky darkening as day slipped into night. Harry watched the sunset from on top of the picnic table, a crowd of garden gnomes sitting at his feet. The door closed softly behind him but he didn't turn.  
  
"I said I wanted to be alone."  
  
"Harry, it's me."  
  
"I don't care if it's you Ron. Or Hermione, or Sirius, or even Ginny. I want to be alone."  
  
"Harry, you can't sit out here all night long. Freezing to death and not sleeping isn't going to change anything. We're all still going to be here when you come back. And the problem isn't going to go away." Ron walked purposefully towards Harry, kicking garden gnomes as he got closer. "We're your friends Harry. We want to help you out."  
  
"You're not my friends Ron! You're so much more than that. You're my family. You and Hermione, and Fred and George, and Bill, and Charlie, and even Percy. You're my family. And your mom and dad are like the parents I've never had. I can't just up and leave you in a heart beat."  
  
"Harry, mate, you just got here a week ago. And you'd be going to Hermione's. We would see you all the time."  
  
"Ron, it's just-"  
  
"You don't want to leave Ginny. I know that. Hell everyone knows that. Except for perhaps Ginny herself. But you're not leaving her. You're going 5 minutes away." Harry shifted himself to look at his best mate. "You think we want you to leave? Harry, it will be okay if you go, I promise." Ron pushed himself up onto the table and looked out towards the setting sun. The door shut softly again.  
  
"You two okay out here?" Hermione climbed up on Harry's other side. "It's starting to get a little chilly." She shivered slightly.  
  
"We're fine." The three friends shifted closer together, attempting to keep each other warm. Harry feet kicked at the air, Ron watched the gnomes start to head back into their gnomeholes, and Hermione seemed preoccupied with the setting sun. They passed quite a few minutes in this fashion before Harry took a deep breath, calling both Hermione and Ron's attention back to him.  
  
"Mione, are you and Hannah okay with me coming to stay?" Harry turned his head towards his other best friend. Hermione's face softened and a smile crept across her mouth.  
  
"Of course we are! I never would have suggested it to Professor Dumbledore if we didn't want you there. And maybe this will make a certain red headed boy come visit his girlfriend more often." She threw a sly grin at Ron. Harry laughed and slung his arms around his two friends.  
  
"You two are the best, you know that? I couldn't ask for better best mates ever." Harry turned to the house and saw Ginny's head peaking from the kitchen window. He sighed. "I guess I need to go talk to her huh?"  
  
Hermione nodded. "She's really upset, but I think she understands. She just wants to make sure you're okay with everything."  
  
"I should never have stayed out here for so long. How long has she been there?"  
  
"Since Sirius came back in. Refused to eat dinner, just sat watching you out here. You have a weird effect on her. I've never seen her like this, and she's my sister." Ron turned around to the house.  
  
"I suck at this love thing. I mean I REALLY suck." Harry laughed as he got up from the table and headed towards the house.  
  
"I think Ginny will forgive you Harry."  
  
With a last smile at his best friends, Harry started to the house. A squeaking hinge and a soft click signaled Harry's departure from the back yard. Ron scooted closer to Hermione. She took his hand and giggled.  
  
"I wonder if we had any idea what we were getting into when we went into the compartment with Harry first year." Hermione rested her head on Ron's shoulder.  
  
"We were clueless. But I wouldn't trade it for the world."  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Ginny? You okay hun?" Harry walked up behind Ginny and wound his arms around her waist.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"I'll be fine. I just needed some time to think."  
  
"You were talking to yourself a lot."  
  
Harry shook his head. "Not myself. My parents."  
  
"Do you talk to them often?"  
  
"Yeah. I mean they don't answer back all the time. Some times they wait until I'm asleep to answer. Sometimes they answer me while I'm talking to them." Harry rested his chin on Ginny's head. "Have I ever showed you pictures of my parents?"  
  
Ginny shook her head. Harry took her hand and led her up the stairs to Ron's room. After rummaging through his trunk for a few moments, he pulled out an old photo album. He looked like a little kid, anxious to show off a new toy. He pulled Ginny to his bed and opened the album.  
  
"This one is of my parent's wedding. See there's Sirius. And there's them when I was born."  
  
"You were such a cute baby!" Ginny exclaimed, watching a tiny Harry sleep in his father's arms. Harry blushed.  
  
"This is where it gets good though. Pictures from Hogwarts!" Harry said, quickly changing the subject. The two turned through the pictures for hours, commenting on how Sirius and Remus had changed and how cute Harry's parents were together. As it neared midnight, Ron came in to go to bed.  
  
"Jeez, it's midnight. I should be up early tomorrow. I'm sure I'm going to have to go in to the Ministry, and then moving my stuff---again."  
  
"So have you decided if you're going to go to Hogwarts, or are you going over to Hermione and Hannah's?" Ginny broached the subject carefully so as not to get Harry upset.  
  
"Well, after much thought and some pushed in the right direction, I think I'm going to go over to Hermione's. I can keep a better watch on you from there anyway." Harry grinned at her, putting her at ease.  
  
"I think you're the one who needs watching, Mr. Harry Potter."  
  
"And I'm the one who needs sleeping! Now hush up and go to bed," Ron snapped from under his pillow.  
  
Harry laughed, and sent Ginny on her way, after a quick kiss goodnight.  
  
"Ron, my boy, I think I love your sister."  
  
"Big news! Like the rest of the world didn't know that already! Now sleep, or you're going to be exhausted tomorrow morning. Or should I saw later this morning!"  
  
"Yes Mom," Harry teased as he changed into his pajama pants and climbed into bed. "Night Ron."  
  
"Night Harry." 


	5. Happy Frappy

Chapter 5: Happy Frappy  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
Not much of this makes sense to me,  
  
The river has run cold and dry.  
  
But it keeps me from swinging tree to tree  
  
And sometimes I'm too scared to even try.  
  
Ultra confusion feigns clarity,  
  
Scattered illusions excuses destiny.  
  
It's never exactly how it appears be,  
  
It's too much for any of us who even try to see.  
  
Well I know that's where I'll never be,  
  
Cuz I can see the summer's done.  
  
I try to let the river flow in and out of me,  
  
And pray I float the way I think I want,  
  
And pray I float at all.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Harry! Floo for you!" Molly Weasley yelled up the stairs. "It's the Minister!"  
  
"Of course it is." Harry rolled over to look at his watch. "Atleast he let me sleep til 8." Harry pushed himself from bed and started towards the door. He was met there by Molly.  
  
"I'm sorry dear. I didn't know you heard me. Minister Fudge said it was important."  
  
"Oh, I'm sure it is," Harry responded rolling his eyes. He finished his slow stroll down the stairs, picked up a piece of toast in the kitchen and slowly slid the chair to the fireplace. "Cornelius." He straddled the chair to look at Fudge.  
  
Fudge looked annoyed at being kept waiting, but regained himself. "Harry, we need some help down here today. The office is in quite a disarray."  
  
"I'll be in later. I'm leaving the Weasley's today. I need to move my things."  
  
"You're leaving the Weasley's? And where pray-tell are you going now?"  
  
"That's between Dumbledore and I. You can owl me if you need me. I'll send Hedwig to the office as soon as I eat some breakfast. She'll know where to find me. I'll be in around three."  
  
"Harry, three is going to be too late."  
  
"Cornelius, I've been in everyday this week! I understand things are a mess with all the attacks, but some of us, the ones of us who are under twenty, need at least a few hours a week to regain themselves. Now unless there's been another attack, I'll be in around three. And the longer I'm sitting here talking to you, the later it'll be. Now is that all?"  
  
The Minister of Magic stared at Harry. No one had ever talked that way to him. But Harry had a point. He had been in from six in the morning until eight at night every day that week. Fudge sighed deeply and nodded, and with a pop was gone.  
  
Harry rolled his eyes again, but was glad Fudge hadn't put up more of a fuss. "If there is anyone in that office who needs a swift kick in the-"  
  
"Harry!" Harry jerked his head up to the talking person. Ginny stood near the bottom stairs, arms crossed over her chest.  
  
"Oops. Sorry Ginny." Harry looked at her guiltily. Ginny broke down and smiled and walked to him. "You sleep well?"  
  
"Mm-hmm. You?" Ginny sat on his lap softly.  
  
"Yeah. Longer than I thought I would. And Ron didn't snore as much as he usually does. Quite pleasant." Harry grinned evilly at Ginny. She shook her head and laughed.  
  
"Want some breakfast before we start moving stuff?"  
  
"I should, but I promised Fudge I'd be in by three. Maybe something a little later though, k? I need to call Hermoine and make sure her and Hannah are ready for me over there, and Dumbledore to tell him what I'm doing, take a shower, move everything, help Dumbledore with the wards." As if on cue, a disheveled Hermione and Hannah Abbot appeared in the kitchen.  
  
"Speak of the devil and she shall appear, helper in tow."  
  
"A devil am I?" Hermione placed her hands on her hips.  
  
"From what Ron says about you in bed, I'm starting to believe you're a little worse than that." Hermione blushed a deep red and Harry chuckled.  
  
"Eww. I don't want to think about my brother in bed!" Ginny slapped Harry in the arm playfully and jumped from his lap before he could retaliate.  
  
"Are you ready to go Harry?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Well, sorta. I was going to call Dumbledore in a few minutes-"  
  
"That's been taken care of. He's already been over to the flat. It's all set. We just need to get you there to finish."  
  
Harry nodded, though somewhat saddened as he had been looking forward to seeing some complex magic.  
  
"I need to finish packing."  
  
"I can do that Harry, while you take a shower. Hermione and Hannah can help. We'll be done in no time."  
  
Harry nodded again. "So I'll just go take a leisurely shower than, shall I?"  
  
"No one deserves it more than you right now." Ginny smiled at him. "And I'll even get Ron up to make you breakfast."  
  
"Alright then." Harry started up the stairs to the bedroom, the three girls behind him.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"ACK! Naked Harry butt!"  
  
"What the Hell Hermione?!"  
  
"I wanna see!"  
  
"NO! I'm shutting the door. Shutting the door now!"  
  
"But Harry! You have fans!"  
  
"Stop it, all three of you! I *need* to get dressed."  
  
"But Harrrrrrrryyyyy!"  
  
"Fine!"  
  
Girl screams filled the air.  
  
"Happy now!?"  
  
"But I wanna see Harry's butt!" Crashing came from the stair well.  
  
"Shut up Ron!"  
  
Slam. Click. Giggles filled the house.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Harry came down the stairs, a smug satisfaction playing across his face. Sure, the entire female population of the house (minus Mrs. Weasley) had seen his naked ass, but, hey, he wasn't modest. It was a nice ass.  
  
"You three are horrible, you know that?"  
  
"Come off of it Harry. You enjoyed it." Hermione poked him in the arm as she walked by with the last of his suitcases. "We on the other hand, are going to be scarred for life."  
  
"You asked for it!" The girls giggled again. Ron stood in the corner, faking dejectedness. "Oh, Ronniekins. I'm sorry."  
  
"Every one else in the house gets to see your naked arse."  
  
"Well if you really want to see-" Harry reached for his belt.  
  
"NO! I was kidding. Don't threaten a poor man like that. Eat some breakfast and keep that thing in your pants from now on."  
  
"You're going to hurt its feelings." Ron punched Harry in the arm hard to shut him up.  
  
"Eat some breakfast." Ron dropped a plate on the table. Harry laughed, but sat down and started to eat. Suddenly there was a heavy knocking on the front door. Everyone but Harry froze, scared to go see who is was.  
  
"Oh really you guys. You act like Voldemort is going to come and knock at the door. Besides, if he wanted to destroy the house, he'd just do it and not bother with the formalities. 'Hi, my name is Voldemort. Would you mind terribly it I blew your house up?'" Harry got up from his chair and walked to the front door. "OH MY GOD!"  
  
Hermione, Ron, Hannah and Ginny all rushed to the front door, wands at the ready. "WHAT?"  
  
"It's just Remus. You four need to lighten up," Harry laughed, leading his father's friend inside. The four shot death glares at Harry.  
  
"Are you about ready to go Harry?" Remus asked.  
  
"I don't know. I'm eating breakfast. Ask my packing crew." Remus looked at the other young adults. Ginny nodded curtly and turned to go back to the kitchen. "Could someone let Hedwig out and tell her to go to the office in case Fudge needs me?"  
  
Hermione, Ron, and Ginny looked at each other and had a silent argument. Finally, Ron sighed and trudged upstairs. Ginny and Hermione sat back down at the table with Harry, Hannah and Remus. Ginny reached onto Harry's plate and stole some hash browns. He tried to swat at her hand, but missed, and she placed the potatoes into her mouth. Harry laughed and pulled his plate out of her reach.  
  
"If you're hungry get your own breakfast."  
  
"I'm not hungry. I just wanted some hash browns. And it's easier to take yours." Ginny kneeled in her chair and swapped some more.  
  
"Don't make me run with my breakfast," Harry warned, waving his fork at Ginny. Ginny finally gave up.  
  
"You're a sucky boyfriend. Won't even give me any of your hash browns." Harry faked surprise and hurt.  
  
"Ouch. Jeez Gin, that hurt."  
  
"It's no more than you deserve." Harry laughed again and set his plate in front of Ginny.  
  
"Here. I'm done. Eat all you want."  
  
"I don't think I want anymore. I'm full." Remus laughed out loud at this and stood to get some of Harry's stuff. Harry took his plate to the sink and magiked it clean, while Ginny, Hermione, and Hannah grabbed the rest of his bags. Ron came down the stairs with Hedwig's cage and Harry's Firebolt.  
  
"We forgot something. Glad I went back up." Ron handed the cage to Harry and started towards the door. "Tell me again why we're not apparating over there."  
  
"Because the wards that Dumbledore set up won't let anyone apparate there until Harry gets there and we finish the spell," Hermione explained.  
  
"Ginny, give me those bags! I can carry them!" Harry demanded.  
  
"No, I've got them. Just because you decide now is the time you want to be gentlemanly doesn't mean I forgive you for earlier. I just wanted some potatoes." Harry rolled his eyes and pried the bags from Ginny's hands. "Harry!"  
  
Harry ran off in the direction of Hermione's flat, Ginny chasing him.  
  
"So how long has this been going on?" Remus asked amusedly.  
  
"They've been together about a week or so. But the shameless flirting has been going on since Harry left school," Hermione explained, as Ron eased one of the bags out her hand. "She makes him happy. But it annoys Ron a little bit."  
  
"Any guy being with my sister annoys me. But at least it's Harry and not some nobody I don't know. We've had a chat, and he understands what would happen if he hurts her."  
  
Remus laughed. "Does Sirius know?"  
  
"I think he has an inkling, but Harry hasn't said anything to him yet. But it's obvious he's head over heels for her. You should have seen him the day the Prophet was attacked. Disapparated right in the middle of making a pot of coffee. Made quite a mess." Hermione giggled a bit. "But they're totally cute together."  
  
"They remind of Lily and James a bit." Remus sighed, but shook his head. "So, Hermione, Hannah, how is stuff going at the University?"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"I win!" Harry yelled triumphantly as he ran up the driveway towards Hermione's flat.  
  
"You had a head start." Harry just flashed a grin at her, which could only be described as shit eating.  
  
"You snooze, you lose hun. Now come here." Ginny walked over to him and put her arms around his neck. "You gonna be okay without me?"  
  
"I think I'll be alright. I lasted this long." Harry chuckled and captured her lips in a kiss.  
  
"I want you to promise me you'll take care of yourself. Be careful and all that jazz." Ginny nodded and leaned for another kiss. As she did, Sirius came walking up the driveway.  
  
"Harry. Everything alright?"  
  
"It was perfect," he mumbled in Ginny's ear. She laughed and let go of his neck. "Fine Sirius. Just waiting for every one else so we can get in."  
  
"Remus got there okay, right?"  
  
"Yes Sirius."  
  
"Morning Ginny. How are you doing?"  
  
"Pretty good. Not too thrilled about Harry leaving, but I can deal. How bout you?"  
  
"Alright. A little worried though, with all that's going on. Did Fudge floo you this morning?" He asked looking back at Harry.  
  
"Around eight." Harry was getting a little annoyed with Sirius ignoring Ginny. He watched as Sirius cast another quick glance over his shoulder. "Everything okay Sirius?"  
  
"I'm just a little nervous about keeping you out in the open like this."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. Ginny elbowed him in the stomach. "What?" he whispered.  
  
"Give him a break, Harry," Ginny whispered back.  
  
"He's freakin' me out looking around all paranoid and stuff." Sirius had turned back around and was watching the road. "And he's ignoring you."  
  
"He just doesn't know how to act, Harry. You didn't exactly tell him we're seeing each other."  
  
"I tell him that and he's going to sit me down and try to have the "sex talk" with me. The only reason I haven't gotten it yet is because he doesn't know about the other girls I've dated."  
  
"All two of them."  
  
"Four," Harry corrected.  
  
"Four!? Who else?"  
  
"There was Cho and Hannah in Sixth Year. And then there was Mary, the Hufflepuff chaser in Seventh and-" Ginny cut him off.  
  
"Mary O'Toole!? You dated her?" Ginny hissed  
  
"I thought every one knew about that!"  
  
"Obviously not! We're in the same house and I had no idea. What did you see in her? That girl is the biggest slut ever!"  
  
"You're telling me. Ginny, you were in the Common Room when we broke up, right before the end of term. We were shouting louder than the twins on their last day at Hogwarts!" Ginny just looked at him blankly. "Holy shit, Ginny, we played Chess right afterwards! Hermione, Ron, you guys remember the day Mary and I broke-up?"  
  
Hermione and Ron walked up, Hermione nodding. "I was trying to study, but how anyone could do anything with the two of you having a row like that in the middle of the common room is beyond me." Hannah walked up behind them.  
  
"Ginny didn't remember we even went out." Ginny looked as if she was thinking really hard.  
  
"I don't remember any of it."  
  
"They were together for like six months. Everybody knew about it."  
  
"Maybe you repressed the memory. I know I tried to forget when Harry was dating Cho," Hannah suggested.  
  
"Alright. I'm mental I guess. But you said there were four."  
  
"Four? Where did the fourth one come from? There was Cho, Hannah and Mary!" Ron snapped, bewildered.  
  
"Yeah, there was also a girl I met in France last year when I went abroad. But we broke up because I realized there was some one else for me." Harry threw Ginny a smile.  
  
"Awwwwww," Hermione and Hannah said at the same time. Ron retched.  
  
"You guys ready or what?" Sirius called to the group.  
  
"Yeah. Let's get started," Harry shouted back, picking his bags back up and walking towards the house.  
  
"Don't worry Ginny," Hermione whispered as she walked past her. "He's still a virgin."  
  
"Hermione!" 


	6. Terrible, Yes, But Great

Chapter 6: Terrible, Yes, But Great  
  
"Ooooo! Illegal German Chocolate!" Harry peeled the wrapping off of the candy. "I love wizard sweets as much as the next bloke, but there's something oddly satisfying about eating candy that's prohibited by the Government."  
  
He broke open the chocolate egg and stuck a piece into his mouth.  
  
"I can see where the glamour comes from," Ron said, sarcastically. "A piece of candy, that, if you're not careful, could cause you to choke on small pieces of plastic toy! Where do I find one?"  
  
Harry simply stuck out his tongue at Ron as he began to put the toy from his Kinder egg together.  
  
"Bugger! I have this one already. Stupid robot!" Harry tossed the toy clear across the table. "Oh well. Thanks anyway Hermione."  
  
"Welcome. I remembered you saying something about them when you came back from travelling, so when I saw some in a store in Köln, I had to get them."  
  
Harry unwrapped another egg and broke it open. "Oooo! A Pippin Took action figure! You even got the good Lord of the Rings ones!" Harry stuffed the chocolate into his mouth. As he was about to reach for another egg, Hedwig flew through the window.  
  
"Bugger again! Stupid Fudge! Always interrupts when I'm having fun." Harry reached for the letter on Hedwig's leg as he finished off the last bits of his previous snack. His eyes scanned the page, rolling every once and a while.  
  
"Hey Hermione. You didn't happen to fetch any Hippo snacks, did you?" Harry asked as he continued to read the letter.  
  
"No. What, pray tell, is a Hippo snack?"  
  
"The same thing as everything else Kinder makes: chocolate, hazelnut cream and wafer. But I like the name better." Harry threw her a grin over the top of the letter.  
  
"What does Fudge want now?"  
  
"To have passionate man-on-man sex with me. And he says Ginny can watch."  
  
"OK, Potter, I think I'm going to retch."  
  
Harry smiled widely. "Sorry, Ron. He wants me to forgo my vacation and stay at the Ministry. Dear Harry, blah blah blah, need you to stay, blah, blah, blah, lost without you, blah, blah, blah, paperwork piling up, blah, blah, blah, don't care if you have a life outside of the Ministry-" Harry trailed off. "Same old, same old."  
  
"He's daft if he thinks you're going to sit around and not take your vacation. You've been planning this for months."  
  
"I know. Though, my main reason for going has been brought back here, so I may be open to sticking around for a few more weeks."  
  
"I thought you wanted to go to check some of the ruined Deatheater buildings and spend some time on the Rhine with Ginny."  
  
"Those are just fringe benefits. I was going for the chocolate."  
  
"I can see it one day. They'll be interviewing me about you, and they'll ask me to tell them some deep dark secret. And I'll be like 'Harry Potter is a closet chocoholic.'" Harry hit Ron in the arm.  
  
"Can you just imagine? You say something about that and then all of Harry's groupies start sending him chocolate. You'd turn into a giant blemish!" Hermione said, starting to laugh. Harry joined in.  
  
"And then, Fudge tries to get you to work by promising you chocolate every time you come in. Ultimate bribery," Ron added. Harry snorted in laughter, which sent Ron and Hermione into a deeper fit of giggles.  
  
"Better yet, Voldemort decides to trick me by sending me chocolate. Some elaborate heart shaped box with truffles in it that he poisons." Harry laughed even harder at his own joke. Hermione was holding the table to support her self as Ron rolled on the floor, clutching his side.  
  
It was in this position that Ginny found them, reeling in their own humor.  
  
"What's so funny guys?"  
  
"Harry, loves chocolate," Ron gasped out.  
  
"So?"  
  
"I do this interview about him for Witch Weekly or something. I tell the world Harry is this closet chocoholic." Ron broke down again, sending Hermione and Harry back into oblivion.  
  
Ginny shook her head. Once the three of them got started, it was hard to calm them down.  
  
"Holy - - shit! I haven't laughed that hard in a long time," Harry sputtered out, trying to contain his chuckles. "The heart-shaped box - - on the door step."  
  
He started off again, Hermione and Ron right behind him.  
  
*~*~*  
  
The wind flew by Harry's ears and a deadly quiet enveloped him. He spun around trying to see anything, but there was nothing but darkness surrounding him. Suddenly a scream pierced the darkness.  
  
"Ginny!"  
  
The ground flew under his feet as he ran, but the screaming seemed to be getting farther away.  
  
"Ginny! Where are you?"  
  
"Harry!"  
  
A green light caught his eye. He spun to face it, just in time to see Ginny collapse to the ground in a heap. The high, familiar laughter filled his ears.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Harry screamed, bolting upright in his bed. Sweat poured down his forehead as he clawed at the sheets, his scar burning.  
  
Pounding could be heard across the house as Hermione jumped from her bed and headed towards Harry's room.  
  
"Harry! Harry, what's wrong?"  
  
Hermione ran to his bedside.  
  
"I need to go check on Ginny. Something's wrong, Hermione. I haven't had a dream like that in a long time."  
  
"Harry, everything is fine."  
  
Harry grabbed at his forehead as pain shot through him again.  
  
"No, everything is not fine. He's up to something."  
  
Harry pushed himself from his bed and threw on a shirt. With a pop, Harry was gone.  
  
*~*~*  
  
As Harry appeared in the burrow, the same deathly quiet enveloped him.  
  
"Ginny?!" Silence. "Ginny!"  
  
Squeaking bedsprings, then- "Harry?"  
  
Harry barreled up the stairs. The lights clicked on in Molly and Arthur's bedroom as Ginny's door opened.  
  
"Thank God, you're okay." Harry wrapped his arms around Ginny.  
  
"Of course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?" Harry only pulled Ginny closer to him.  
  
"Harry? What's wrong?" Molly asked, emerging from the bedroom.  
  
"I had -- a dream. My scar -- started burning. Voldemort had killed Ginny," Harry sputtered.  
  
He frantically tried to calm himself. Ron walked down from the attic, rubbing his eyes.  
  
"Harry, mate, what's going on?"  
  
A small pop distracted everyone as Hermione appeared on the landing of the steps.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Harry, what are you doing?"  
  
"Unpacking. I can't go now. There's too much going on, and after that dream yesterday night, there's no way I'm leaving England." Harry shoved the last of his previously packed shirts into his dresser. Ron just stood and gawked from the doorway.  
  
"Harry, come one. The world will be okay while you go on vacation."  
  
"Not to toot my own horn or anything, but no, it won't. Voldemort's plotting something with Ginny, and if I'm far enough away from the Ministry there will be no help for me."  
  
"So what are you going to do, Harry? Sit around and wait for something to happen? And when something doesn't, lament yourself for not leaving?"  
  
"No. I'm going to do something about all this."  
  
"Like what, Harry?"  
  
"You know I can't tell you, Ron."  
  
"Oh, right, something with the Department of Mysteries! Well excuse me whilst I back off and let my best mate walk straight into his death. I, for one, am not going to let you go prancing into some elaborate Ministry scheme alone. If you're going to fight You-Know-Who, I'm coming with you."  
  
"No, Ron, you're not. And neither are you, Hermione," Harry called out the door. They heard a sharp intake of breath and Hermione walked around the corner.  
  
"Yes I am." Hermione crossed her arms across her chest.  
  
"No you're not. Neither of you is going with me. I'm going with the Department and no one else. And I swear, if you guys tell Ginny, I'll disown you."  
  
Harry threw a knapsack onto his bed and pulled a spare robe out from the dresser.  
  
"You'll disown us, will you? I don't believe it. Not a word. We're going with you, Harry, and there's nothing you do about it."  
  
"You guys come, and Ginny will be right behind you. I CANNOT have that happen. If you guys stay, you can keep her here and wait for me to get back."  
  
"If you get back," Ron muttered under his breath.  
  
"The "Dream Team" can't do this together this time. I have to go by myself. My destiny guys, not yours." Harry stuffed the robe into his knapsack and turned to the door.  
  
"Destiny, Harry?! Why can't someone else handle it all for once?"  
  
"It just doesn't work that way, Hermione. I wish it did." With those simple words, Harry gave Hermione and Ron a sad smile and disappeared.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"You lost him, Hermione? Lost him? Harry just doesn't disappear! You're lying."  
  
"Lying, Ginny? Why would I lie to you?"  
  
"Because you're hiding something. You saw him leave, didn't you? You knew he was leaving. And you didn't come get me. And he left without saying good bye. Dammit Hermione!" Ginny banged her fist on the table. "Where did he go, Hermione? I know you know."  
  
"I DON'T know, Ginny. He wouldn't tell us. He just disappeared. He said something about destiny, gave us a smile, and disappeared. I couldn't track him, Lord knows I tried!" Hermione tried to fight back tears. "You think I didn't try to stop him, Ginny? You think we didn't plead with him to stay, or at least let us go with him?"  
  
"You just let him leave. I can't believe you just let him leave." Ginny shook her head in disbelief.  
  
"I didn't just let him leave!" Hermione screamed a bit louder than she meant to, but she couldn't care. "I tried to stop him, Ginny! You think I wanted him to leave? He's my best friend! If there was anything I could have done to stop him, Ginny, I would have!"  
  
Hermione glared at Ginny with such malice that it scared her.  
  
"As much as this little thing you have with Harry means to the both of you, that was my best friend of seven years who was telling me he was going off to fight Voldemort by himself! I swear, you only think of yourself!" Hermione turned quickly and started towards the door. She spun back around quickly.  
  
"You think it hurts you that he's gone, try thinking about the fact that he's probably going to die, Ginny! My best friend, Ron's best friend, your boyfriend, is probably going to die out there. He's going to die trying to save the world so you, and Ron, and I and everyone else can live."  
  
By this point, tears were flowing freely down Hermione's cheeks. She glared pointedly at Ginny, who was standing silently holding the couch for support. A silence passed between the two women, until Hermione saw a single tear fall down Ginny's face.  
  
"He's going to die, Hermione." It was statement. There was no question.  
  
Hermione shut her eyes against the words. She had already let her grief consume her all the previous night and most of the morning.  
  
"He'll be okay, Ginny. He's strong. He'll take care of himself. He's Harry Potter." The words sounded empty coming from Hermione's lips. She walked carefully back towards the couch.  
  
"Hermione. We're going to lose him."  
  
The two collapsed to the couch heavily. They learned against each other for support.  
  
"I know." 


	7. Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness

Chapter 7: Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Harry shivered as cold ran through him. The bog was wet, but the wind that whipped through the marsh chilled him even more. The moonlight reflected off of the water, and the stars shone brightly. In the distance, Harry could see the cave.  
  
"Are you sure this is the one, Sirius?"  
  
"Never been more sure of anything else in my life."  
  
Harry sighed heavily as he sat himself down the only dry square foot in the marsh. It had been about a month since he had left Hermione's flat. He had apparated to Sirius' cottage and announced it was time to go. It took Sirius a little while to get over the shock of Harry's sudden appearance, but after that, Sirius had been keen on starting right away.  
  
"Harry, there's still time. We can call the rest of the Order."  
  
"Bugger on that Sirius. We call the rest of the Order and Hermione and Ron show up. Not a fucking chance." Harry looked up at his Godfather. "That's why were doing this. To keep them safe. He has no idea where I am, or what I'm planning. Hell, I don't even have a good grasp on what I'm going to do."  
  
*~*~*  
  
It was hauntingly cold in Hermione's flat. Even though all the windows had been locked tight, and the doors bolted shut, an eerie wind seemed to be travelling through the small apartment. Ginny wrapped the blanket tighter around herself. She had taken to occupying Harry's old bed in Hermione's flat since he had left. The bed had smelled of him. It reminded her of being in his arms.  
  
They had continued to live their lives as normally as possible, sinking into a melancholy routine of waking, going to work or school, coming home, eating, and spending deathly quiet nights seated on the couches. After a few hours, one of them would get up, or Ron would leave to go back home, and every one would go to bed. They hardly slept. No one had heard anything from Harry yet. Not even the Ministry knew where Harry had gotten on to.  
  
One thing that comforted them, though, was the simultaneous disappearance of Sirius. He must have either gone with him, or after him. Remus knew nothing of the whereabouts of his friend's son or his school friend. He had also taken to frequenting the flat to share their quiet time on the couch before returning home to his own fitful sleep.  
  
They clung to the thoughts of no news being good news.  
  
Ginny tried to remain hopeful, but she had been enveloped in a sadness that seemed tangible. It hung about her like mist on a mountain, lifting for a spell, but returning just as quickly. She spent many nights alone in Harry's room, flipping through the old photo album, hoping Lily and James Potter's smiles could lift her spirits, but even their faces seemed downtrodden. There was nothing to do but cling to their hope.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"You okay, Harry?"  
  
"I guess. Okay as one can be." He shot Sirius a shaky smile as he fitted his wand into his sleeve. "The only thing we can do hope. It's almost over Sirius."  
  
"I guess you could say that." Sirius stared up at the sky solemnly. The only sound that could be heard was that crackling of the fire.  
  
"Do you think we should owl the others? I'm sure they're worried." Harry shuffled his feet closer to the fire.  
  
"Probably. You haven't written to them yet?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "I couldn't give away where we were. Knowing her and the others, they'd come running after me if they had any inkling of where I was."  
  
"You've got a good set of friends." Sirius' voice was in monotone as he said this.  
  
"I know this is touchy with you, Sirius, but if my father was alive, he'd follow you. He told me."  
  
Sirius looked at Harry and chuckled. "They talk to you too?"  
  
Harry nodded. "Like that day at the Burrow. In my head, they always bicker."  
  
Sirius laughed out loud. "That sounds like them."  
  
Silence past between them.  
  
"You remind me a lot of your father."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
More silence. Then at the same time:  
  
"So Harry, about Ginny - -"  
  
"Sirius, I need to tell you about Ginny - -"  
  
They both chuckled.  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
Harry inhaled deeply. "I don't know if you noticed, but we're together."  
  
"I kind of figured that. You're being careful right?"  
  
"In case she gets mysteriously pregnant from me kissing her? Can't say that I've thought of that."  
  
"Smart ass."  
  
"Worry wart."  
  
"Brat."  
  
"Over protective wanker."  
  
A chuckling silence past between them.  
  
"You love her?"  
  
"Yeah, I think I do."  
  
*~*~*  
  
A rustle of feathers pulled Hermione from her studying. An owl perched next to her window and stared expectantly at her. She opened the window and took the note from its leg, tipping it a couple Knuts before it flew away. She opened the letter gingerly, so as not to rip it. It looked as if it had been to Hell and back before she had received it. Her eyes widened as she read the writing inside.  
  
"Holy Cricket! Ginny!"  
  
Harry bedroom door squeaked open and Ginny's head peered out from it.  
  
"What, Hermione?"  
  
"Get your arse down here. It's a note from Harry!"  
  
Ginny came stampeding down the stairs. She ripped the parchment from Hermione's hand. Harry's untidy scrawl donned the paper, looking as if Harry had written the note in a great hurry.  
  
*~*  
  
Hi guys,  
  
I just wanted to write you all a note to let you know I'm okay. Nothing bad has happened since we left. All is clear for the time being.  
  
Sirius is with me and we've been moving since we left and we're just about there. Everything seems to be working just like we wanted it to. Hopefully we'll be able to say the same thing when we're done.  
  
Please don't worry about me. I'm doing fine. Don't try to come after me; I couldn't bear it if something happened to any of you.  
  
Ron, keep everyone's chin up for me. Hermione, do well in school and watch Ginny for me. Ginny, keep smiling and writing. I love you all.  
  
Hope to hear from you soon. This owl knows where to find me.  
  
Harry  
  
*~*  
  
"I don't believe it!"  
  
"Me neither."  
  
"He's okay."  
  
"It looks that way, doesn't it?"  
  
Both girls stood in silence rereading the letter.  
  
"Should we go get Ron?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"Probably out with Seamus and Dean, reciting the 12 lesser-known verses of "If I Were a Tiny Chimney Sweep". Piss drunk. Again."  
  
"My brother is a pack of adventures."  
  
"You have no idea." Hermione rolled her eyes as the two women put on their cloaks and started for the door.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
The ruckus from the pub was deafening. Ginny pushed her way through the door with Hermione on her heels. Their eyes scanned the gathered crowd, who were singing a loud Quidditch song.  
  
"If I were the marrying kind, but thank the Lord I'm not, sir. The Quidditch player that I would marry would be a Quidditch-"  
  
"Beater, sir!"  
  
"Why, sir?"  
  
"Cause I'd swipe balls, and you'd swipe balls-"  
  
"We'd all swipe balls together. We'd be all right in the middle of the night swiping balls together!"  
  
Hermione and Ginny's heads had turned to the leader of the song, who was none other than Ron, drunk off his gourd, and standing on a table.  
  
"If I were the marrying kind, but thank the Lord I'm not, sir. The Quidditch player that I would marry would be a Quidditch-"  
  
"Goalpost, sir!"  
  
"Why, sir?"  
  
"Cause I'd stand erect, and you'd stand erect-"  
  
"We'd all stand erect together. We'd be all right in the middle of the night standing erect together."  
  
Ginny inched her way towards Ron's table. Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas were sitting and looking amusedly at their drunken friend.  
  
"If I were the marrying kind, but thank the Lord I'm not, sir. The Quidditch player that I would marry would be a Quidditch-"  
  
"Bludger, sir!" Seamus yelled.  
  
"Why, sir?" Ron answered  
  
"Cause I'd get beat off, and you'd get beat off-"  
  
The rest of the pub joined in. "We'd all get beat off together. We'd be all right in the middle of the night getting beat off together!"  
  
Seamus and Dean waved to Ginny as she walked towards them and she returned the wave with a tight smile.  
  
"If I were the marrying kind, but thank the Lord I'm not, sir. The Quidditch player that I would marry would be a Quidditch-"  
  
"Sister, sir!"  
  
"Ginny!" Ron slipped and fell onto the table, his beer cascading onto his jumper. The pub erupted into laughter and turned back to their drinks. "What the bloody hell are you doing here?"  
  
"We got an owl." Ron just stared at her. "From Harry."  
  
Ron clambered from the table and righted himself. He put an arm around his little sister for balance and started to the door, waving slightly to Seamus and Dean. Ron had taken to frequenting the pub with them since Harry had left, deciding to drown his sorrow in ale instead of sulking with the girls and Remus.  
  
Hermione squared herself on Ron's other side, shaking her head disapprovingly at her boyfriend.  
  
"You're not just saying this to get me out of the pub are you?"  
  
"Ron, would we joke about something like this?" Ginny gave him a hard look.  
  
"No."  
  
The three staggered to Hermione's flat, slowly, but in better spirits than they had been that morning.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Harry rolled slightly on the ground, a rock digging into his back. He curled himself into a tighter ball as he tried desperately to block the wind from chilling him. Being at the altitude he was at, the cold raked his body, and sometimes, whirling snow would settle on his nose. It had been a little over a week since he has sent the owl to Hermione, Ron, and Ginny, and he had not heard back from them. Either they had decided to not write back, or worse, decided to try and follow him.  
  
Sirius was sitting near him, watching the horizon, and scanning for any sign of movement. They had been trapped on the mountain for the past three days, the Dark Lord's minions scurrying back and forth across the open marsh they had just left. They had been lucky to escape when they did, only a few hours before Voldemort himself had returned to the cave. The marsh seemed devoid of any magic, the deatheaters seemingly absorbing it as they walked through. The marsh was a desolation, no trees, and very little dry grass to sit on. In some ways, the mountain was a welcome change from their weeks on the marsh. The two could never get used to the cold though.  
  
"Anything, Sirius?"  
  
"Nothing, kid. There hasn't been a thing for a few hours now. Today may be the day to move this thing along." Sirius turned his head towards Harry, who now sat, arms around his legs, shivering like Dennis Creevy after he had fallen in the lake. Sirius removed his cloak.  
  
"Here. Take this." Harry stubbornly shook his head as Sirius tried to force the cloak on him. "Harry, you'll be no good to the world if you're sick when you face Him!"  
  
Harry attempted to resist for a few more seconds, then gave in, taking the cloak and wrapping it around his shoulders. He managed a small smile. "Thanks."  
  
"Just doing my job."  
  
Sirius looked towards the gray sky, mumbling under his breath. He had been doing this for the past couple days, Harry watching in awe as Sirius seemed to have silent conversations with Harry's dead parents. It was a touch unnerving to Harry, but as long as Sirius was here with him, he felt safe some how.  
  
"Let's do this."  
  
Harry nodded and coiled the rope at his feet. He expertly began to tie it off on the rock ledge as Sirius packed away the remaining pieces of their makeshift camp. The rope dropped silently to the ground and Harry gave his godfather one last look before disappearing over the edge, Sirius following him slowly. It was time.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
A/N: Oh MY! That took way too long to finish. I have come to a conclusion that I am definitely not an action writer and thus am avoiding this confrontation all together. I need a muse I guess. BUT, the title of this chapter belongs to Smashing Pumpkins, and the Quidditch song I got from another fic I was reading called Come Together. There is a song called "If I were the Marrying Kind", and it's a Rugby song that is along the same lines as this one. I did a little research last night. So it may be awhile before the next chapter, but sit tight, it's coming.  
  
And to my worried reviewer, Harry's not lost at all. He was just misplaced! (YAY!) 


	8. I'm Missing the War

Chapter 8: I'm Missing the War  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
All is quiet, his tired eyes. See figures jotted down and clothes all strewn around the bedroom floor.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Ron watched Hermione sleep, her school books fluttering in the passing wind. He hated to watch her toss and turn like this. Her sleep had been fitful since Harry's note had come, putting her more on edge. If he didn't know better, she was thinking about following Harry.  
  
Not that the thought hadn't flitted through Ron's mind as well. To think, he was missing the biggest adventure of his life. He was Harry's right- hand man and had been since school. The bloke was like a brother to him.  
  
Ron rubbed his drunken eyes. It had been a poor choice on his part to try and drown his woes in ale and whiskey, but he could make up for it. He had to go, there was no question about it. Harry was his best mate. He'd get over it.  
  
Ron cast a silencing charm on the floor to the flat and made his way down the stairs to the shed outside. He sobered himself up and slipped on some fresh clothes. Now all he needed was Hedwig. She would know where to find Harry.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Now nothing's adding up, and nothing's making sense. She's sleeping like a baby, she doesn't know he wasn't meant for this.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Hermione crept quietly into Harry's room to check on Ginny. If only she understood that she had to go help. Sure, if Hermione had told her, Ginny would have been on board, but Hermione had a feeling that as soon as Ginny found out she was leaving without her, she'd flip out.  
  
Harry wasn't going to be able to pull through this on his own. Something would hold him back and Hermione wasn't going to let that happen. She crept into Hannah's room and clicked the light on. Hannah sat up like a shot.  
  
"What'swrong?!" Hannah blurted out as she shook herself awake.  
  
"Nothing's wrong. I just need to ask you a favor." Hermione sat on her flatmate's bed.  
  
"You're going aren't you? Hermione, don't do this. He told you not to."  
  
"He'll have to get over it. He needs me."  
  
"I'm sure he can deal on his own. And besides, Sirius is with him."  
  
"That's not the point, Hannah. I HAVE to go. And I need you to watch her."  
  
"What am I going to do to stop her, Hermione?"  
  
"Whatever you can. Tell Bill or Charlie. They'll keep her here. Or Remus. As soon as he finds out we went, I'm sure he'll be over here trying to get you to answer questions. You'll know what to do. You always have."  
  
"I don't think this is quite fair. You get to go off and have adventures while I sit here and baby-sit Harry's girlfriend and the old man."  
  
"Do you want to go, Hannah?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Therein lies the answer to your question."  
  
Hannah sighed and shifted in her bed to give Hermione a quick hug.  
  
"You better be fucking careful Hermione. And if you're going, I expect Harry to come back in one piece too."  
  
"I'll do what I can."  
  
Hermione smiled at her friend and turned to leave the room. She crept quietly back to her room and put on the outfit she had set aside. Slipping on her boots, she flung her knapsack over her shoulder and motioned to Hedwig to follow her. The owl landed softly on Hermione's shoulder and together they descended down the stairs.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I'm missing the war. I'll know I'm missing the war.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
He drove home again, pissed and beaten. It's really no big deal, it happens all the time. It's no big deal.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Ginny heard scratching from the downstairs. Must be Ron, she thought, coming home from another night at the pub. Ever since Harry had sent that note he had drove into the ale as hard as he could. They would see him sporadically, when he came to visit Hermione after work, and when Seamus or Dean called to have them come and drag Ron home. Ginny just couldn't understand how it made him feel better. Whiskey always put her in a terrible mood.  
  
Harry's note sat folded on her desk next to the old photo album. She would pick it up periodically and read it, trying to imagine what he looked like writing it. She heard Hannah sitting up quickly in her bed and then repositioning herself and falling back to sleep. Ginny rolled over and pulled the covers around her chin and started to drift back to sleep.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
I'm missing the war. I'll bet I'm missing war. To be the sunlight hit me in the morning.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Fuck!" Ron hissed, looking around the kitchen. He heard Hermione's footsteps across the floorboards upstairs as he looked frantically for Hedwig in the sitting room. Maybe this was a sign. A sign that following Harry was a bad idea.  
  
Ron plopped down into one of the cushy armchairs and tried to think. There was so much holding him here: Hermione, his job, his family. But then there was Harry. His best friend, going off to fight one of the most evil dark wizards ever. He pushed himself up from the armchair and started back towards the door.  
  
But Hermione. He loved her. She'd never forgive him leaving her behind. But there was no way in hell he was going to let her come with him. He had to stay with her. He resigned himself back to the chair.  
  
But he couldn't leave Harry out there with no one but Sirius. Back towards the door.  
  
Ginny. What about her? She would follow him. And the rest of his brothers? Back to the armchair.  
  
He had to go. This was Harry. Ron was his right-hand man. He was going.  
  
He heard a twig snapping outside. He walked towards the door and around the side of the house.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
So much time, so little to say.  
  
Time may fly, and dreams may die. His shaking voice tells him go. Still thinks he might, but knows he won't.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Hermione walked out the back door, successfully avoiding Ron, her black pants making barely any noise. She crept around the side of the house, Hedwig on her shoulder.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?"  
  
Hermione froze. Ron had caught her.  
  
"I'm going to help Harry." Hermione turned around to see Ron dressed in all black also, a new pair of black trainers on his feet. "Why are you out here?"  
  
"I'm going to, I just couldn't find Hedwig. Now I see why."  
  
Ron and Hermione shared a look and turned around together, jaws set. They were going to help their friend. The Dream Team was going to do it together, whether Harry liked it or not.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
I'm missing the war.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Sirius and Harry clung to the back of the rock, afraid to breathe, as the two figures moved slowly towards them. They had seen them as soon as they had hit the ground, approaching very cautiously, clad in all black, much like them selves. The figures rounded the corner in front of them and Harry saw the familiar shock of red hair.  
  
"Dammit, Ron!" Harry hissed.  
  
Ron spun on his heels towards the voice. Hermione rushed up behind him.  
  
"Fuck, not you too!?" Harry waited a few more moments to see if, god forbid, Ginny rounded the corner also but was visibly relieved when she didn't. After he got over that spell, he turned angrily on his best friends.  
  
"I can't believe you two! I tell you to stay where you are, not to follow me, and what do you do? Exactly what I tell you not to!"  
  
Hermione and Ron seemed not be listening, staring at Harry with wide eyes. Hermione was the first to move, launching herself at Harry.  
  
"Thank God you're okay!" she cried into Harry's shoulder. "I thought something bad had happened to you. It's such a relief to see you alive."  
  
Harry stood stock-still, letting Hermione hug him, but not changing his face. Sirius' face, on the other hand, had broken into a large grin.  
  
"Harry, come on. These are your friends. They risked life and limb to get here for you. Stop being so angry."  
  
"What happens, Sirius, when something happens to them? The only thing that will keep me fighting is if I know they're okay."  
  
"Harry, we're here because we want to help you. No amount of you yelling at us is going to keep us away from you." Ron looked at his best mate, nodding in agreement with what Hermione had said.  
  
"Where's Ginny?"  
  
"With Hannah. She had no idea we were going to leave. She's satisfied staying at home and waiting for you, hoping. But the two of us weren't going to sit and twiddle our thumbs while you're out here having all the fun."  
  
"Right, fun, Ron. Hiding out, being stuck on top of a mountain for three straight days, sleeping in a marsh."  
  
"Sounds like a blast to me."  
  
Harry stared at Hermione and Ron hardly, until finally his face broke down. He had the best friends in the world. He took Hermione and Ron into a hug and broke down into their shoulders.  
  
"I was secretly praying you would come. I'm nothing without the both of you."  
  
A few minutes later, the group broke apart. Harry wiped his eyes roughly and looked at his mates. Ron placed his hands on his hips and put on his best adventure face.  
  
"Right. So what's the plan?"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A/N: So, I don't know if any of you have read any of my other fics, but I am a HUGE fan of songfics. When a song strikes me as fitting, I like to either use it in the beginning, or write a whole chapter or fic around it. Like "Dreams", riddled with songs from the middle on, "I'd Really Like to Try" a songfic, the outtake I'm writing for another story, "In My World", a songfic, this story, I used "Happy Frappy" in an earlier chapter and now this. I see a definite trend here.  
  
I didn't think I was going to have Hermione and Ron go with him, but as I was writing the story, I realized that that would be exactly what Harry would want, as much as he insisted he didn't. So, excuse the song, it was really just to appease myself. I had this stroke of thought when I was at school last week and the way I'm feeling about this story, any thought that I can write down needs to be written down as fast as possible. Sooner or later I'll run out of them though :) 


	9. The Miseducation of Ronald Weasely

Chapter 9:  
  
"Well, I haven't actually thought that far ahead yet," Harry said sheepishly. "I was planning on just winging it."  
  
"That's why I'm here," Sirius boasted as he pulled out a sheet of parchment from his robes. "I figured you two would be along sooner or later."  
  
Harry shot Sirius a look, but snatched the paper from his hands. Hermione looked down to see the paper but was surprised when a trace of deep red caught her eye.  
  
"Harry! You're bleeding!"  
  
Harry looked down at his hand and shrugged.  
  
"Doesn't hurt at all. I must have cut it on the way down the mountain."  
  
"But it could get infected!"  
  
"Oh, Merlin, here we go!" Ron hissed.  
  
"How many times have I told you not leave a cut like that open?"  
  
"Like a million, Hermione."  
  
"I'm going to bandage it for you. Hold on."  
  
Hermione took a clean cloth from her pack and started to dress Harry's wound.  
  
"If you're going to be a bit, I'm going to write to Bill to let him know we found them."  
  
Hermione nodded quickly before turning back to Harry's hand.  
  
"It really doesn't hurt, Hermione. I don't see why you're making such a big deal about a small cut."  
  
"Because, in a few days, if you leave it open like this, it's going to get infected. And I don't have anything to take care of that kind of a thing with me. We'd have to wait until we got home. And then, you would have gotten Gangrene and we'd have to take your hand off. "  
  
Harry rolled his but rested himself on his other palm and watched as Hermione wrapped his hand, thankful that she was there.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Alright Hannah! This is the last time I'm going to ask you. Where are they?"  
  
Ginny stared at Hannah, eyes set. Remus looked at the girl too, arms crossed in front of his chest.  
  
Hannah mumbled something incoherently.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"I said they went to follow Harry."  
  
Even though Ginny had known the answer to her question from the beginning, a jolt of anger flew through her as Hannah finally confirmed it. They had gone after him. Without her. And they hadn't even told her.  
  
Hannah had done a job keeping Ginny's suspicion in check for the past week, but it was getting increasingly harder as the days went on. She had shown up this morning, Remus in tow, demanding to know where Hermione and her brother had gotten off to. Ginny had the secret hope that maybe they had eloped or something along those lines, but deep down she had known. She had known all along that they were going to follow him. But she was damned if she was going to let them do it without her.  
  
Ginny turned sharply from the conversation and bounded to Harry's room.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" Hannah yelled, following up the stairs behind her.  
  
"Where else? I have to find them."  
  
"In a pig's ear you are! I'll have Bill here faster than you can say 'Quidditch' if you take one more step towards that dresser."  
  
Ginny threw Hannah a skeptical look and started back towards her dresser. She heard Hannah mumble something under her breath, but before she could turn around to ask her what she said, a familiar 'pop' broke her train of thought.  
  
There stood Bill, long hair and all, staring at his only sister.  
  
"Put it down, Ginny."  
  
"Who are you to tell me what to do?"  
  
"Your older brother. Now put down the shirt and get back downstairs." Bill stared at her hardly. Ginny stood her ground for a few more seconds before dropping the shirt and heading back towards the stairs.  
  
Bill followed heavily, Hannah taking up the tail end. Ginny deposited herself back onto the couch next to her old teacher who looked lost in thought.  
  
"Now, listen to me. Neither of you are going anywhere."  
  
"Now wait just one minute here, Bill. I'm a grown man and I make my own decisions."  
  
"Sit down, Remus. You may make your own decisions, but right now, you're not capable of making any good ones."  
  
Remus glared at the younger man, but sat down.  
  
"Hermione and Ron went after Harry and Sirius. They left about a week ago, and I know they've found him, as I just got a letter from Ron this morning. They're both fine, as are Harry and Sirius, though from the way Ron was going on about Hermione, I think Harry may have cut himself a little. Something about not being able to do anything since Hermione was bandaging Harry's hand.  
  
"So, anyway, they're all safe, and you're not to go chasing after them. Especially you, Ginny."  
  
"Why especially me? What am I going to do to hinder anything?"  
  
"You'll distract Harry. If he thinks you're in danger, he's not going to have his mind on the task at hand. You're better off here, where you're safe. According to Hermione, you're to stay here, where the wards can protect you. You also, Remus, as the wards in Godric's Hollow just aren't as strong as the ones Hermione and Dumbledore set-up here.  
  
"That's all I know, so don't press me for anymore details. I'll let you know if I hear anything from them. Ginny, you'll be working here from now on, and sending your work in through Hannah. Remus, I can't make you stay, as I know Sirius left the office in your hands, but be careful please. I'm only a quick call away though." Bill gave Hannah a purposeful look, to which she nodded in agreement. "I'm leaving."  
  
Bill gave Ginny a quick hug before turning and apparating back to his job.  
  
*~*~*~*~*  
  
"All set. Now, according to Sirius' map, we're only about a day's walk from the chamber. Any idea how we're going to beat him?"  
  
Sirius was at a loss for words. None of the research he and Harry had done had given any inkling as to what would kill You-Know-Who.  
  
"Who knows if an IAvadaI will even touch him, much less kill him. And unless I have some secret powers that I'm unaware of, that's the best I've got. We're not exactly Aurors here. Sure, Sirius and I can duel, and Ron has had a bit of practice, and Hermione can hold her own, but against him? Who knows if he can even die?"  
  
"Well, we'll never know until we try. Let's go."  
  
Ron started off down the cave, Hermione following him and Harry and Sirius bringing up the end.  
  
"They mean well, Harry."  
  
"I know they do, Sirius. But what I am going to do if one of them gets hurts?"  
  
"They won't get hurt, Harry. They can watch themselves."  
  
As if on cue, they heard Ron's voice shouting "IStupefyI". They ran to meet Hermione and Ron, who were standing face-to-face with about five or six Deatheaters. They looked expectantly at the foursome, as one Deatheater lay unconscious on the cold ground. A flash of magic whizzed by Harry's ear, blowing a chunk of rock away from behind him.  
  
"They must have heard us while Hermione were bandaging Harry's hand," Sirius shouted, ducking as one very determined Deatheater shot the Cruciatus Curse at him.  
  
"Good going, 'Mione. Way to give us away!" Ron yelled at Hermione, tossing a Deatheater aside before turning to face another one.  
  
Harry looked at his friends and Godfather quickly before reaching into his backpack. "Thank Gods for Willow Bode and her mandatory Muggle weapons training," Harry whispered, pulling a knife out of the bag. With the quickness borne from several hours of training at the start of his employment at the Ministry, Harry flicked his knife at an advancing Deatheater, landing it in its stomach. The Deatheater lurched to stop and fell to the ground.  
  
Harry reluctantly pulled the knife out and turned back to the fight, but saw it had been finished quickly. A couple of well placed Full Body Binds from Hermione and Ron, and a Killing Curse from Sirius (the only one besides Harry who was allowed to use the curse) had disabled the rest of their attackers. Ron, Hermione and Sirius stood looking at Harry.  
  
"That was bloody brilliant, Harry. Where did you learn that?" Ron exclaimed, as Harry wiped the blood from his knife.  
  
"Training with Willow. Makes us all do it before we start working for her. I Permio. I" The binds set on Hermione and Ron's attackers grew more solid at Harry's words.  
  
"Let's move. It's only a matter of time before more show up, and I'm not really too keen on doing that many more times."  
  
Ron and Hermione, still dumbfounded, nodded and followed after Harry.  
  
*~*  
  
Several hours later found them tracking across an underwater spring. Harry had noticed torchlight from a corridor down to their left.  
  
"I keep expecting to find a Balrog down here," Hermione said, walking up next to Harry.  
  
"Right. Bring on the orcs," Harry chuckled. "At least they can't use magic."  
  
"What are you two babbling on about now?"  
  
"A book, Ron. Or rather, a series of books," Hermione answered, smiling at her boyfriend.  
  
"Ah, that would explain it."  
  
"He kinda reminds me of Sam," Harry mused, looking fondly at Ron. "Or perhaps Peregrin Took."  
  
Hermione giggled at this. "And who does that make me?"  
  
"Why, Merry, of course. Level headed, yet never one to turn down a good time." Harry threw Hermione an amused look. He turned to walk backwards and look at Sirius. "And you, my dear Godfather, are Strider, the ranger, heir to the throne of men. Sirius, son of Bob."  
  
Sirius chuckled at Harry's good-natured attempts to keep their spirits high.  
  
"And I, am Frodo Baggins. Horribly misguided, possessed by a piece of jewelry, and so obviously gay."  
  
Hermione snorted loudly at this. "How do you figure? I would figure Samwise for the gay one if any."  
  
"Bah! Sam got married to Rosie. Frodo left Middle-Earth because he was jealous."  
  
"And not because he was emotionally exhausted, right Harry? Remind me to never ask for your literary analysis ever again. One of the bravest heroes of British literature, and you think he's gay? Seriously, Harry!"  
  
They walked a bit farther in silence.  
  
"I think I shall call Ron Pippin from now on."  
  
*~*  
  
Harry's hand raked through his hair as he crept closer to the opening of the cavern. He tried furiously to slow and quiet his breathing, but to no avail. A disturbing voice echoed through the cave walls.  
  
"Young Mister Potter. Such a pleasure to see you again."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 


	10. Conversations with Tom

Chapter 10: Conversations with Tom  
  
Ron breathed in suddenly and Hermione looked like someone had dragged their nails across a chalkboard next to her ear. When it had all boiled down to it, Harry was the only who ever ended up talking to Voldemort, and hearing his voice for the first time was enough to make any wizard cringe.  
  
"And you brought some friends! Surely not that Mudblood and Arthur Weasley's son? They're no good to you here, Harry. If there's one thing you never did right, it was finding the better, more helpful sets of friends. Making friends with that muggle trash and that muggle loving fool's son! And if my spies serve me correctly, falling for his daughter. Tut, tut, Mr. Potter. Not nearly up to your standards."  
  
Harry clenched his fists as Voldemort continued to deride his friends.  
  
"They serve their purpose, Tom. They're willing to follow me here to fight you against my wishes."  
  
"That they are. Pity they'll probably die. And what of Mr. Black? Standing so silently, not really your style, Sirius. And to think, for years people thought YOU were in my inner circle. Certainly a laughable thought."  
  
"It certainly is to me, Tom. To think I sat in Azkaban without trial for it," Sirius answered gruffly.  
  
"A matter that amused my Deatheaters thoroughly. Imagine, someone that had nothing to do with me accept for working to fight against me ended up in jail for thirteen years and my inner circle evades capture.  
  
"But why so quiet Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley? Trying to think of a brilliant plan, Hermione? And Ron, gauging the best way to help Harry?"  
  
"Don't talk to them! You don't deserve to speak with them, you miserable piece of trash. You want answers, talk to me." Harry walked around the corner and stood to face Voldemort. He found him sitting lazily in a chair in the chamber watching his fire intently.  
  
"Oh, we'll have plenty of time to talk. Besides, the longer we talk, the more people may join us. I dare say someone that has been missing you may be in our midst shortly."  
  
"YOU LEAVE GINNY ALONE! She has no part in this."  
  
"But everyone has a part in this, Potter. And until I can turn everyone over or kill them trying, my part to play in all this is not complete. And besides, don't you think Ginny would love to see Tom again. Her faithful friend. If only you could see the things she wrote in that diary, Harry. All the times she cursed you for not noticing her."  
  
"You're not going to turn me against her, Tom. Just leave her alone."  
  
Voldemort laughed coldly and turned his wand on Harry. "Crucio!"  
  
Harry dropped to his knees in pain, his scar throbbing.  
  
"HARRY!"  
  
He faintly heard Hermione's feet come around the corner and some muffled words, and the pain ceased.  
  
"Well, Ms. Granger, it seems your education is paying off. Not many can put a stop to my curses."  
  
Hermione shrank back against the wall. "How do you know-"  
  
"You'll find, Hermione, I know most things about you, as well as your boyfriend and the little ringleader of this group. I've been watching you all since you left Hogwarts, trying to figure out what Harry was going to do next. When the rumors started circulating that you left England, I knew you'd never leave. Not after the connection you have with the Potter brat and his overzealous sidekick. Living with the person no one would expect you to. Harry's ex-girlfriend, it was a clever idea. Who would notice if Harry went over there?  
  
"I have to admit, you had me puzzled for spell. Where had Harry gone? He couldn't be staying with those Muggles any longer, could he? He was out of Hogwarts, they would never take him back when he could do magic. But I was wrong. As I tried harder, Harry's magic became easier to trace. I would watch him appear in the Ministry and then at the Burrow, and then a flat in Ottery St. Catchpole. Then he would disappear again. There was nowhere else he could have gone.  
  
"I couldn't attack that house, I tried though. Finally I gave up and attacked the house next door. I knew the muggles would think it was you. You'd be out of therebefore you'd could say Quidditch. And then my next break. Dumbledore wasn't careful enough with the new wards. I could follow Harry wherever he went. It was only a matter of time before I could attack.  
  
"But then Harry was moved again. The wards disappeared and others were set up at the flat. But I had him marked, Hermione dear. As soon as I could find him again, I marked him. No wards were enough to keep him from me. So, I entered his dreams, plagued him, so as to draw him to me. If there's one thing Harry Potter will always be, it is a hero. Trust him to come running to find me, to try and beat me.  
  
"So here we stand."  
  
"This ends now, Tom. This game of cat and mouse stops here!"  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
A/N: So, I've been racking my brain here, trying to figure out where to go with this, and I realized that perhaps I should see if people want me to continue to the end. So, the future of this story depends on you, the readers, so get reviewin' or the story gets the ax! 


	11. Checkmate

A/N: Well, it seems that there are some people who would like me to continue and finish this story. I am happy to see the return of my loyal reviewer from my other story, Blue Eyes, as well as the comments I've been getting from others.  
  
Blue Eyes: Damn straight it's gonna hit the fan now!  
  
Chapter 11: Checkmate  
  
"Will it really ever end, Harry? If you somehow manage to destroy me, don't you think that someone will be right behind me, taking my place? In fact, I daresay a friend of yours from school would be willing to follow me."  
  
"Draco Malfoy is a pitiful heir. If he's the best you can do, then perhaps this won't be as hard as we thought," Hermione shouted.  
  
Harry glared at Voldemort through slit eyes, as though the memory of Draco curdled his blood. An icy laugh pulled Harry's attention from him and his eyes settled on a thin figure with almost white-blond hair holding at arms length none other than - -  
  
"Ginny!" Harry and Ron's voices echoed through the cave. Ron made to launch himself at Draco, but a sudden movement stopped him. Draco's wand tip rested on Ginny's temple, a maniacal grin plastered across the young Malfoy's face.  
  
"Make a move, Weasley, and she dies. I didn't bring her here to taunt you anyway. It's Potter I'm after."  
  
Draco gaze fell on Harry, whose face was furrowed in concern. He kept his eyes locked on Ginny, looking hopeless and scared in Draco's arm.  
  
"It's time for a little revenge, Potter. Killing my father was the stupidest move you've ever made. It's time for you to learn that every meddling action you make has a separate and opposite reaction."  
  
"Harry didn't kill your father, Draco. I did," Sirius responded, taking a step closer to his Godson. "I've had no greater thrill than when I Avada'd the conniving Malfoy Senior. The things he put those poor Muggles through. The pain both of you caused in so many homes. You deserve no better than he did."  
  
Draco's eyes had fallen upon Sirius, now standing next to Harry. The gaze shifted from loathing to humor as Draco began to laugh.  
  
"You? Kill my father? That's a story! Good job trying to protect your Godson, Sirius Black, but don't you think I know Harry's magic when I see it. As much as I hate to admit it, our boy Harry over there has quite a talent with magic."  
  
"What are going on about, Malfoy?" Ron spat, glaring are their old school colleague.  
  
"Magical Residue, you stupid fool! Harry never knew what was good for him when he performed spells. Always left a little behind, throwing too much into a spell. A touch overzealous when it came to ordinary magic. Or perhaps a bit more powerful than I think even he knows. Any trained wizard could look at my father and know it was the work of Harry Potter. If there is one thing we Deatheaters do extremely well is covering our tracks and never using more magic then we should."  
  
Harry had been silent since he called out to Ginny, wagering in his mind the best move to make. There was nothing they could do to Voldemort with Draco around, so the only logical thing to do was to finish him off first. Harry stood taller and faced Draco with renewed vengeance.  
  
"Well, now you have me, Draco. I'm standing right here, waiting," Harry whispered, barely audible to anyone but Draco, Sirius, and himself. "Let Ginny go and face me like a man. Unlike your father, who hid behind Muggles to save himself."  
  
"You lie! My father would never hide from you!"  
  
"That shows how little you know of your father's death. He hid, like a child, behind Muggles as shields."  
  
"Liar!"  
  
Draco cast Ginny to the ground roughly and took a step towards Harry. Ginny scampered on her hands and knees over to Hermione and Ron, clutching her older brother.  
  
"You wish I was lying, don't you, Draco? I arrived first, with Remus and Willow Bode. Your father and his friends were terrorizing a group of Muggle children. As soon as he saw me, he pulled one in front of him, knowing I would never attack him like that." Harry's voice grew menacing as Draco stepped towards him again.  
  
"Shut-up!"  
  
"The child kicked him hard in the shin and bit him, causing him to drop the boy. Your father moved through the children, one by one, hiding behind them like a coward. He finally ran out of children to hide behind and prepared to apparate. I killed him where he stood, not caring about any mercy towards him, or his family. He couldn't face me, and neither will you, Draco. You'll run and hide, and wait for the fight to be over and try to take over by cunning. You're a pathetic excuse for a wizard, Draco."  
  
"So what do you think you're going to do to me, Harry? Kill me? There's a million more where I came from."  
  
"That I know. But trust me, you don't deserve to die. You deserve much worse." The absence of Harry's wand unnerved Draco, who stopped as Harry was talking.  
  
"And what, pray tell, do I deserve?"  
  
Harry looked at Ginny, silently wishing she didn't have to see this. He hated the thought of her knowing that he could do this to a person without his wand. His eyes pleaded with her for forgiveness. She nodded boldly, seemingly understanding his thoughts.  
  
"Dementadora!" Harry shouted, turning his hand towards Draco.  
  
Harry heard Voldemort jump as a dim red light fell upon Draco, who slumped to the ground as the spell hit him.  
  
"You deserve to live, Draco, without a soul. To wander in your own misery, your own evil deeds, your own dismal life, until the day you die. May you live a long life, Draco Malfoy." Harry kicked the seemingly lifeless body.  
  
The cavern was cast into silence, only broken a few minutes later by a slow clapping.  
  
"Very impressive, Harry. Very, very impressive. Many wizards can't do that spell with a wand, much less wandless."  
  
"I don't need your praise, Tom. You know I hated to do that, but you knew I would. These people around you, they're meaningless to you. You don't care for them in the least. Their lives mean nothing to you. They're just pawns in your little game of chess."  
  
Voldemort smiled icily at him. "You know me well, Harry. We are so much alike. Parentless, powerful, captive a world so much below our abilities."  
  
"I am nothing like you, Tom Marvolo Riddle. I don't use people to do thing for me, not caring when they die. I don't use my power to get people to do what I want, plotting, seeing the world as a little game. Human life is something that can be thrown away. My life is worth something to others, not because I scare them or hurt them, but because they care for my wellbeing.  
  
"Accio wand!"  
  
Harry's hand pointed at Voldemort's wand, which came shooting through the air towards him. He deftly moved to grab it as Voldemort screamed in horror. With a quick, deliberate movement, Harry snapped the wand in half. Voldemort watched as Hermione, Ron, and Sirius also rounded on him.  
  
"Checkmate," Harry said, hollowly. He nodded to his companions slowly.  
  
"Avada Kedavra."  
  
A bright flash of green light enveloped them, and what remained of Tom Marvolo Riddle hit the ground. A pile of black robes, pale, white, scaly skin, and blood red eyes lay motionless on the bare rock floor.  
  
Voldemort was dead. 


End file.
